President Donald Trump’s chief interlocutor with the Russian government last month advised a senior aide to Vladimir Putin on how the Russian leader should go about pitching the U.S. president on a peace plan aimed at bringing an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to a transcript of the call published by Bloomberg News […]
U.S.
US aide coached Putin’s aide on pitching Trump, according to a Bloomberg report
President Donald Trump’s chief interlocutor with the Russian government last month advised a senior aide to Vladimir Putin on how the Russian leader should go about pitching the U.S. president on a peace plan aimed at bringing an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to a transcript of the call published by Bloomberg News on Tuesday.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, according to a transcript of the Oct. 14 call published by the news service, advised Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov that Putin should call Trump to congratulate him for the Gaza peace deal, say Russia had supported it and that he respects the president as a man of peace.
“From that, it’s going to be a really good call,” Witkoff said, according to the transcript.
When asked by Russian state media to comment on the report, Ushakov did not question the recordings’ authenticity but said that they had not been leaked by Moscow. The White House did not dispute the veracity of the transcript, and Trump described Witkoff’s reported approach to the Russians in the call as “standard” negotiating procedure.
Here’s the latest:
Trump’s chief interlocutor with the Russian government last month advised a senior aide to Vladimir Putin on how the Russian leader should go about pitching the U.S. president on a Ukraine peace plan.
That’s according to a transcript of the Oct. 14 call published Tuesday by Bloomberg News. The news agency said it reviewed a recording of the call.
It said Trump envoy Steve Witkoff advised Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov that Putin should call the U.S. leader to congratulate him and praise Trump for the Gaza peace deal. Trump described Witkoff’s approach as “standard” in negotiations.
▶ Read more about the peace plan
AP Morning Wire curates the most important stories and sends them straight to your inbox. Sign up for the free newsletter here.
1. US Army secretary takes unlikely role as key negotiator in push to end Russia-Ukraine war
2. Judge gives Justice Department a day to detail Ghislaine Maxwell trial materials to be released
3. Health care plan circulated by the White House runs into familiar GOP divisions
4. X’s new feature raises questions about the foreign origins of some popular US political accounts
5. Court official dismisses Justice Department’s misconduct complaint against a federal judge in DC
6. DC Mayor Bowser announces she won’t seek fourth term, as Trump’s federal intervention continues
7. FACT FOCUS: Trump gets it wrong claiming no murders in DC for the last six months
8. Top US military officials are visiting Caribbean leaders as Trump weighs next steps
9. Wisconsin Supreme Court says 3-judge panels must decide congressional redistricting cases
10. Judge’s footnote on immigration agents using AI raises accuracy and privacy concerns
11. Trump administration plan to review Biden-era refugees sparks worry and uncertainty
12. Man charged in Colorado Planned Parenthood shooting dies in federal custody
13. Judge sets $60K bond for Florida congresswoman accused of stealing $5M in COVID-19 funds
14. Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally, begins 27-year prison sentence
15. Political consultant defies court order in lawsuit over AI robocalls that mimicked Biden