Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, effectively confirmed the authenticity of recordings of his conversations with U.S. presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin special representative Kirill Dmitriev that appeared in the press.
Speaking to Russian state media, Ushakov did not dispute the transcripts’ authenticity but said he did not know how the wiretap recordings ended up with journalists.
Ushakov said he frequently speaks with US President’s special representative Steve Witkoff but declined to comment on the content of a call whose transcript was published by Bloomberg. In a conversation with Russian propagandist Pavel Zarubin, the Kremlin official warned that such “leaks” could damage relations Moscow has built with the White House.
Ushakov spoke as he accompanied Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kyrgyzstan. Zarubin asked whether the call with Dmitriev and Witkoff was fake. Ushakov replied that all his conversations are closed and he does not comment on them.
“Nobody should comment. Where do they get such information? They listen in, I don’t know. Who leaks, who listens in - but not us,” he said.
“There are contacts over secure lines, where leaks almost never happen unless one side allows them on purpose. But there are some conversations on WhatsApp which, generally speaking, someone can apparently find a way to listen to,” Ushakov added.
Ushakov also confirmed Moscow expects a visit from Steve Witkoff “next week.”
“[The reason for the leak is] probably to interfere. It’s unlikely this is being done to improve relations,” he said of the Bloomberg publication.
Dmitriev, meanwhile, called the published transcript of his conversation with Ushakov “fake.” According to recordings published by media outlets, during that call Dmitriev proposed sending a Russian peace plan on Ukraine to Witkoff so Washington could present it as its own initiative.
Bloomberg published materials on two phone calls: Ushakov’s conversations with Witkoff and with Dmitriev. In the call with the American special envoy, which took place in late October, the two discussed the need for direct talks between Putin and Trump.
