Leaked conversation of the US envoy with the Kremlin: what advice did Vitkoff give to Moscow.

According to ТСН: The leak of a telephone conversation between US special envoy Steve Vitkoff and Russian presidential advisor Yuri Ushakov revealed the clumsy attempts of the American official to teach the Kremlin official how to negotiate with President Donald Trump. This incident raised suspicions about Vitkoff's competence and his understanding of the threats posed by the Russian leadership.

Trump entered politics as the main "deal maker," relying on unconventional negotiators and believing that practical experience from the New York real estate market offers more advantages than traditional diplomacy.

Vulnerable moments of diplomacy

Vitkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner acted without the constraints of traditional approaches, impressing skeptics by achieving a temporary ceasefire, though it did not lead to lasting peace.

Vitkoff's lack of preparation became evident after the leak of his conversation with Ushakov.

The question arises: who leaked this recording and what could their motivation have been? Given the behavior of the Russian authorities, which hinder negotiations while continuing aggression against Ukraine, possible sources are not hard to imagine.

Diplomacy generally works more effectively without external pressure and cameras, even when unpleasant compromises must be made to achieve progress.

Reputational blow

However, Ushakov's "training" on how to deal with Trump and promote a fragile peace settlement dealt a reputational blow to Vitkoff. He not only gave advice on the future conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump, emphasizing compliments, but also hinted that Moscow might offer Ukraine a deal similar to the one that suspended hostilities in Gaza.

"I told the president that you — that the Russian Federation has always wanted a peace agreement. This is my belief. I told the president that I believe in this," Vitkoff said, according to an audio recording processed by Bloomberg.

These words may indicate an attempt to ingratiate himself with Ushakov or be diplomatically polite. Does he really believe that the aggressor always seeks peace?

Particularly concerning is that Vitkoff advises Putin to talk to Trump before the American president meets with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.

Possible manipulations

After this phone conversation, Trump announced his intention to meet with Putin in Budapest, but this meeting never happened. Vitkoff demonstrated the Russian side's readiness for manipulations by expressing his thoughts to Americans while avoiding commitments.

Importantly, the leak of the conversation with Putin's advisor again calls into question the possibility of progress in peace negotiations and shows Vitkoff's limited understanding of Russia and its leadership. This hints that he is too close to Moscow and does not grasp the scale of the threat posed by Putin.

The fact that the recording could have emerged from Russians, Ukrainians, European partners, or even opponents within the American administration suggests that Vitkoff's style, based on unconventional thinking, may be exhausted.

It should be recalled that Bloomberg obtained recordings of Vitkoff's phone conversation with Ushakov, during which the American provided recommendations to Moscow on presenting Trump with a peace plan regarding Ukraine. Vitkoff suggested that Putin call Trump before Zelensky's visit to the White House and express greetings on the resumption of the deal in Gaza. These negotiations became a prelude to a 28-point peace plan.

Trump reacted to this information, stating that there is "nothing unusual" in such actions. According to him, this is standard practice for a mediator.

This leak highlights the complexity of diplomatic relations between the US and Russia, underscoring the risks associated with inadequate preparation of officials in anticipating the possible consequences of their advice. Subsequent events may impact future peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, as well as the perception of American diplomats on the international stage.