THE PUTIN-TRUMP BACKCHANNEL LEAK: A 5-MINUTE CALL THAT REWIRES THE TRUMP–PUTIN GAME
Bloomberg drops 2 bombshell call transcripts – and instead of denying, Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov basically shrugs: “Someone is leaking, someone is listening, but not the Russian side.”
In other words: “We’re not saying it’s fake. We’re saying it’s inconvenient.”
Let’s dig in.
Here’s the raw meat straight from the leaked logs:
- Putin’s inner circle strategizing how to launder a peace plan through the U.S.
Putin’s Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev:
“We’ll make this paper from our position… I’ll informally pass it along… making it clear it’s all informal.”
Ushakov worries the U.S. might twist it:
“They might not take and say that it was agreed with us. That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Dmitriev promises loyalty:
“I’ll say it exactly as you say it, word for word.”
This is not diplomatic language. This is operations language – precise phrasing, message discipline, plausible deniability.
- Witkoff advising how Trump should pitch peace to Putin
Steve Witkoff tells Ushakov Trump should open with flattery:
“You respect that he is a man of peace… you’re really glad to have seen it happen.”
Then he floats the real ask:
“If we can get the Russia-Ukraine thing solved, everybody will be jumping for joy.”
Ushakov, laughing:
“You need to solve only one problem… the Russian-Ukrainian war.”
The vibe:
2 governments preparing a peace pitch like it’s a joint press release – and now the whole thing is on the front page.
Most likely scenario:
The calls are authentic. The leak was not accidental.
Russia can truthfully say “we didn’t leak it” – because leaks often come from 3rd countries monitoring the calls (Gulf states? Israel? Even friendly intel services?).
And Moscow knows exactly how to weaponize a leak it didn’t technically release.
One thing is certain:
After this leak, any Trump-Putin conversation on Ukraine is now freighted with the question no one can unsee –
Who’s really writing the peace plan?
Source: Bloomberg
Media: Sky News, Reuters, POLITICO