Witkoff advances Kremlin’s interests; key peace plan points remain unresolved
Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin (Photo: Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via REUTERS)
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has emerged as a key figure helping Russia corner Washington into forcing Ukraine to accept Moscow’s capitulation terms, based on thorough reporting by Bloomberg on Nov. 25, backed by transcripts of calls between Witkoff and senior Russian officials.
Senior Russian officials orchestrated a diplomatic
maneuver persuading Witkoff to present a list of the Kremlin’s demands as a
U.S.-backed peace plan to end the Russo–Ukrainian war. Bloomberg cites atranscript of an Oct. 29 phone call between Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy
adviser Yuri Ushakov and Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev.
The two officials discussed a scheme to present a list of its own capitulation
demands as if it originated in the U.S. President Donald Trump’s
administration.
Witkoff personally advised Ushakov on how Putin
should engage with Trump to make the United States take a more pro-Russian
foreign policy stance. In an Oct. 14 phone call, Witkoff, speaking to Ushakov,
floated a joint “20-point” peace framework modeled on a recent Gaza ceasefire
agreement. He urged Ushakov to encourage Putin to raise the idea directly with
Trump. Additionally, the U.S. envoy suggested Putin should call Trump before
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House on Oct. 17.
Kyiv, Washington, and European capitals have made considerable
progress in amending the initial, heavily pro-Russian draft of the U.S.-backed
peace plan, into something that could be acceptable to both Ukraine and its
European partners. However, Ukraine still refuses to accept three key
provisions: ceding additional territory to Russia, limiting the size of the
Ukrainian military, and abandoning NATO membership aspirations.
Will you support Ukraine’s free press?
Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations.
As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation.
It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine.
If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda.
Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd.
If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly.
There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting.
We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.
Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world?
Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology.
We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
