United States representatives call for special envoy to Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, to be fired after a leaked Kremlin call where he allegedly coached Moscow on how to handle U.S. President Donald Trump.
Republican representative Don Bacon called for Witkoff’s immediate dismissal.
"For those who oppose the Russian invasion and want to see Ukraine prevail as a sovereign & democratic country, it is clear that Witkoff fully favors the Russians,” Bacon said.
“He cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations.”
Republicans weren’t the only ones calling for his firing, with Democratic representative Ted Lieu going as far as to call Witkoff an “actual traitor”.
“Steve Witkoff is supposed to work for the United States, not Russia.”
In a recording obtained by Bloomberg of a 14 October 14 call between Witkoff and Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, Witkoff said peace would require Moscow gaining control of Donetsk and potentially other Ukrainian territory,
“Now, me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere,” Witkoff said, according to Bloomberg’s transcript.
“But I’m saying instead of talking like that, let’s talk more hopefully because I think we’re going to get to a deal here.”
Witkoff also gave Ushakov tactical advice, including how to handle Trump.
Ushakov confirmed the call’s authenticity to Russian state television, suggesting the conversation was meant to “hinder” negotiations.
In response to the leak, Trump has defended Witkoff’s actions.
“He’s gotta sell this to Ukraine, he’s gotta sell Ukraine to Russia. That’s what a deal maker does,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One Tuesday evening when asked about the reported transcript of the call.
“I haven’t heard it, but I heard it was standard negotiation. And I would imagine he’s saying the same thing to Ukraine, because each party has to give and take.”
The president's special missions envoy, Richard Grenell, called for the leaker to be fired.
“The anonymous leaker is a national security risk,” he said.
The transcript also offered new insights into behind-the-scenes talks regarding Trump’s 28-point peace plan that has been the subject of intense talks between the Trump administration, Russia and Ukraine in recent days.
The plan would see Ukraine surrender the entire Donetsk region and grant Russia control of Luhansk and Crimea while freezing battle lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
