Questions are mounting about Donald Trump’s plan to impose specific conditions on Ukraine, with critics calling his peace initiative a “Russian wish list.”
Russia has confirmed that Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Moscow next week as part of renewed efforts to find common ground on ending the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine. For now, however, talks remain limited to phone conversations, according to Yuri Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy adviser.
What Russia is saying about the peace process
Kremlin officials say they have not yet received a formal US peace proposal, even though representatives from the United States, Russia, and Ukraine met in Abu Dhabi earlier this week.
“Contact is ongoing, including over the phone, but no one has sat down at a round table to discuss details point-by-point. That has not happened,” Ushakov told Russian state media.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov added that Ukraine continues to receive US-supplied weapons and intelligence support, despite Washington signalling interest in improving relations with Moscow.
He also said on Wednesday that Russia remains in close communication with China regarding diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. These statements come amid two major leaks and reports that surfaced this week.
Leaks reveal Trump’s intentions
Trump’s proposed plan to end the war became public last week, and the initial version appeared heavily aligned with Russian demands.
After US–Ukraine talks in Geneva over the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the plan could be “workable,” though several key elements remain unresolved. A Ukrainian official said Zelensky hopes to meet Trump in the coming days.
Meanwhile, a Bloomberg report said Witkoff coached Ushakov on how Putin should present the peace plan to Trump.
According to a transcript of an October 14 phone call published by the news outlet, Witkoff advised Ushakov that Putin should phone Trump to congratulate him on the Gaza peace deal, express Russia’s support for it, and praise Trump as a “man of peace.”
Ushakov acknowledged that he speaks with Witkoff “quite often,” but declined to comment on the content of the leaked call, saying the conversations are confidential.
The report emerged shortly after Trump announced the peace proposal was being “fine-tuned” and that he was sending Witkoff to meet with Putin.
The October 14 Witkoff–Ushakov call took place one day after Trump’s celebratory visit to Israel and Egypt following the Gaza ceasefire. During the call, Ushakov reportedly agreed that Putin would extend congratulations and emphasise that “Mr Trump is a real peace man.”
Three days later, on October 17, following a meeting with Zelensky, Trump said Ukraine and Russia should “stop where they are” on the battlefield—which would require Ukraine to surrender territory currently controlled by Russia.
What Trump’s ‘skewed’ plan includes
The original plan, leaked last week, appeared heavily tilted toward Russia’s position. According to AP reporting, it called for Ukraine to give up the entire Donbas region and drastically scale down its military.
It also required European governments to guarantee that Ukraine would never be allowed to join NATO.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted the proposal was drafted by the United States with input from both Russia and Ukraine. Still, leaders in both major US parties have described the leaked document as essentially a Russian wish list.
Europe’s response to Trump’s plan
European governments—deeply concerned about Russian aggression and their own security—are pushing to have their interests represented, even as the US leads the talks.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “An agreement negotiated by great powers without the approval of the Ukrainians and without the approval of the Europeans will not form the basis of a real, lasting peace in Ukraine.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen struck a more optimistic tone, saying there is “an opportunity to make real progress” toward peace.
She stressed that any deal must include security guarantees for Ukraine and cannot impose limits on its armed forces or prevent future NATO membership.
Where the war actually stands
While diplomatic efforts continue, the conflict itself remains intense.
The southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia suffered a large overnight Russian drone attack that damaged more than 50 residential buildings, including a crowded university dormitory, regional military chief Ivan Fedorov said. At least 19 people were injured.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported that its air defences shot down 33 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple Russian regions and over the Black Sea.
