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Witkoff's leaked call has triggered outrage from Republican lawmakers who say he 'can't be trusted'
Sam Kiley,Arpan Rai,James C. ReynoldsThursday 27 November 2025 04:38 GMTComments
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Donald Trump’s son has defended his father's envoy Steve Witkoff over leaked conversations where he appears to coach Russian officials on how to handle the US president.
Witkoff, in a telephone call with Russian policy aide Yuri Ushakov, said they should work together on a ceasefire plan and that Vladimir Putin should lavish praise on Trump when he raises the matter.
The White House has not disputed the leaked transcript, and Donald Trump Jr defended Witkoff's methods as “classic negotiation techniques to butter up his counterpart”.
"It's almost like these media and deep state morons have never successfully negotiated a deal in the real world. It's pretty obvious that nearly all of Witkoff's critics want any sort of Ukraine peace deal to fail so they can continue this war endlessly. Enough is enough!" he said in a post.
The leak of the call to Bloomberg News has not gone down well in Russia, with the Kremlin calling it “unacceptable” and “clearly aimed” at hindering the peace talks.
Key Points
- Trump's son defends US envoy Witkoff on leaks
- Russia says phone call leak amounts to 'hybrid warfare'
- Witkoff's leaked call triggers outrage from Republican lawmakers: 'Can't be trusted'
IMF and Ukraine reach agreement on $8.2bn funding
The International Monetary Fund said it reached a staff-level agreement on a new four-year, $8.2bn programme for Ukraine as the country faces mounting wartime fiscal pressures.
The new plan can be taken to the fund's executive board for approval once previous commitments are met and is subject to "adequate financing assurances from donors", according to the IMF.
The IMF said the agreement, which replaces the existing $15.6bn Extended Fund Facility approved in March 2023, is meant to help Kyiv maintain macroeconomic stability and strengthen public finances as the war against Russia continues to strain its budget.
"The program is expected to catalyse large-scale external support to close Ukraine’s financing gaps," IMF official Gavin Gray, who led the fund team's visit, said in a statement, adding that the total financing gap is calculated at around $136.5bn for the 2026-2029 period.
Ukrainian officials have said an IMF program is key to obtaining financing from other partners, including a reparations loan. Ukraine funnels most revenues towards fending off Russian forces in the fourth year of Moscow's war.
Prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that the agreement showed that her country's economy is resilient despite the war. She pledged to press on with reforms and called for support in passing next year's budget.
Arpan Rai27 November 2025 04:38Trump envoy Witkoff coached Russian official on how to praise US president, leaked call reveals
Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff advised a senior Russian official on how to praise the president in order to secure a peace deal in Ukraine, according to a leaked transcript.
Mr Witkoff told Vladimir Putin’s senior aide Yuri Ushakov to ensure the Russian leader congratulated the US president following the announcement of his Gaza deal, insisting that the praise would ensure their discussion would be “a really good call”.
A transcript of the recorded phone call from October was released by Bloomberg News on Tuesday. It emerged as Mr Witkoff prepares to meet with Putin next week to discuss a revised peace plan for Ukraine.
Trump envoy Witkoff coached Russian official on Ukraine deal, leaked call reveals
Steve Witkoff is facing calls to be sacked after a transcript of a call discussing the Ukraine peace plan with Vladimir Putin’s senior aide was releasedArpan Rai27 November 2025 04:25Watch: Moment Ukrainian strike obliterates Russian experimental laser-weapon jet
Moment Ukrainian strike obliterates Russian experimental laser-weapon jetArpan Rai27 November 2025 04:04Witkoff's leaked call triggers outrage from Republican lawmakers: 'Can't be trusted'
Several congressional Republicans are harshly criticising the Trump administration over its handling of a proposed Ukraine peace plan they say favours Russia, after the leaked call showed his envoy collaborating with Russians.
A leaked transcript has revealed Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, advised a senior Russian official on how to praise Trump to facilitate a Ukraine peace deal.
"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. He cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations. Would a Russian paid agent do less than he? He should be fired," Republican Representative Don Bacon said on X.
Arpan Rai27 November 2025 03:24Trump's son defends US envoy Witkoff on leaks
Donald Trump Jr has defended the US envoy Steve Witkoff on the recent leaked details of his conversation with Russian officials.
Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday that Witkoff, in a 14 October telephone call with Russian president Vladimir Putin's policy aide Yuri Ushakov, said they should work together on a ceasefire plan and that Putin should raise it with Trump.
Trump Jr has said what Witkoff was doing was “classic negotiation techniques to butter up his counterpart”.
"It's almost like these media and deep state morons have never successfully negotiated a deal in the real world. It's pretty obvious that nearly all of Witkoff's critics want any sort of Ukraine peace deal to fail so they can continue this war endlessly. Enough is enough!" he said in a post.
Donald Trump Jr campaigning for his father in Charleston, South Carolina in February 2024 (Getty Images)Arpan Rai27 November 2025 03:14Watch: Zelensky says Ukraine's top priority is war
Zelensky says Russia's top priority is war after Trump hints Ukraine negotiators 'very close' to peace dealDaniel Keane27 November 2025 03:00Russian nationals among four arrested in France over espionage
The leaders of a pro-Russia group in France behind a poster campaign declaring "Russia is not my enemy" have been taken into custody and are being held on suspicion of intelligence-gathering for a foreign power.
The SOS Donbass group confirmed the arrest of its founder, Anna Novikova, in a Telegram post. The group's president, Vincent Perfetti, is also facing charges, his lawyer said.
The Paris prosecutor's office identified them only as Anna N and Vincent P, saying that both are in detention.
The breakup of the alleged intelligence-gathering operation came as French president Emmanuel Macron warned about Russian destabilization efforts targeting France, a key backer of Ukraine in the nearly four-year war.
Macron said this week that Russia is waging "hybrid wars" against Europe, including by employing proxies.
"It pays people, mercenaries. It has pushed people to carry out destabilisation activities in our countries," he said.
Arpan Rai27 November 2025 02:53Moldova complains of unacceptable intrusion of Russian drone
Moldova summoned Russia's ambassador on Wednesday to complain about the latest intrusion of drones into its airspace.
Russia's ambassador expressed doubt that one of the drones was linked to a genuine intrusion and suggested the incident was aimed at spoiling Moscow's already poor relations with Chisinau.
Moldova noted incursions by six Russian drones on Tuesday, including one that landed on a roof outside Floresti, near the Ukrainian border.
A second passed through Moldovan airspace before heading off toward Romania.
Daniel Keane27 November 2025 02:00Ukraine's security council chief 'questioned in corruption probe'
Senior Ukrainian security official Rustem Umerov, a key figure in peace negotiations with Moscow and Washington, was questioned as a witness by anti-corruption investigators probing Ukraine's biggest wartime graft scandal, two local media outlets reported.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine invited Umerov to testify as part of its probe of Timur Mindich, the suspected ringleader of a $100 million kickback scheme involving the state nuclear energy company, the outlets quoted Umerov's press office as saying.
They did not say when Umerov had been questioned.
Daniel Keane27 November 2025 01:00Sam Kiley: Ukraine has tried to bounce US into a peace deal - but Putin is still in charge
Ukraine has tried to bounce US into a peace deal - but Putin is still in charge
The latest round of talks about peace may be drifting Ukraine’s way but Russia is still very active behind the scenes, writes world affairs editor Sam KileyDaniel Keane27 November 2025 00:01Newer1 / 5OlderMore about
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