Bloomberg published transcripts of two telephone conversations between representatives of Washington and Moscow, according to the publication. The focus of the conversation was the development of a peace plan for Ukraine.
The first conversation, dated 14 October 2025, was between US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President’s Assistant for International Affairs Yuri Ushakov. According to the transcript published by Bloomberg, Witkoff advises Ushakov on how best to present the peace plan to the Russian side, including how Putin should approach US President Donald Trump to gain his favour, given that the US recently helped broker a ceasefire in Gaza. He suggests arranging a call between Trump and Putin in advance of the Ukrainian president’s visit to Washington.
According to the publication, the second conversation allegedly took place on 29 October between Ushakov and another Kremlin representative, Kirill Dmitriev. In it, Dmitriev says that he is ready to unofficially convey the Russian version of the so-called ‘peace’ to the Americans, hoping that it will be presented as a US initiative. In other words, Russia would provide the basis, and Washington would be credited with authorship. Dmitriev expressed doubts that it would be accepted in its entirety, but promised that ‘they would do it carefully.’ Ushakov, in turn, expressed concern that the US might end up omitting some controversial points and then present the plan as a document agreed with Moscow.
As a result, similarities were noted between these conversations and the subsequent public initiative. Many analysts perceive elements of the so-called ‘peace plan,’ which was later presented on behalf of the US, as a projection of Russian demands. According to reports, the plan included proposals that coincided with those previously voiced by Russia — recognition of the ‘special status’ of the territories, Ukraine’s renunciation of NATO membership, and demilitarisation.
The reaction of Moscow and the Kremlin to the publication was immediate. Ushakov said he did not know where the leak came from and that they had not given their consent to make the conversation public; Dmitriev called the material ‘fake.’ Kremlin representatives described the leak as an attempt to undermine the negotiation process, as part of an information attack.
