11/26/25 

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) expressed concern Tuesday over reports that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff advised an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the best approach to sell President Trump on a deal to end the war with Ukraine.  

“This is a major problem. And one of the many reasons why these ridiculous side shows and secret meetings need to stop,” the moderate Republican wrote in a post on the social platform X.

“Allow Secretary of State Marco Rubio to do his job in a fair and objective manner,” he added.

Fitzpatrick, one of three House Republicans to win in districts former Vice President Kamala Harris carried in 2024, was responding to a report from Bloomberg, which published a transcript of a purported Oct. 14 call between Witkoff and Russian aide Yuri Ushakov.

According to the transcript, Witkoff welcomed Ushakov’s suggestion for “our bosses” to talk on the phone, and the special envoy then relayed to his counterpart that Putin should be sure to praise Trump for a recent peace achievement — likely referring to the deal with Israel and Hamas, which was signed just days before the call.

“I would make the call and just reiterate that you congratulate the president on this achievement, that you supported it, you supported it, that you respect that he is a man of peace and you’re just, you’re really glad to have seen it happen,” Witkoff told Ushakov, according to the transcript. “So I would say that. I think from that it’s going to be a really good call.”

They discussed coming up with a similar 20-point plan for Ukraine and Russia to what Trump administration did when brokering the ceasefire deal with Israel.

Witkoff said frankly to Ushakov: “Now, me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere. But I’m saying instead of talking like that, let’s talk more hopefully because I think we’re going to get to a deal here. And I think Yuri, the president will give me a lot of space and discretion to get to the deal.”

The purported conversation took place before the Trump administration presented its 28-point Russia-Ukraine peace plan, which, in its initial version, was widely panned as being too favorable to the Kremlin.

U.S. talks with key allies have been ongoing in recent days, and Ukraine confirmed Tuesday that it agreed to the core elements of the proposal. The president had given Ukraine until Thanksgiving to agree to the deal, but, facing backlash from Kyiv supporters in Congress and abroad, Trump made clear it was not the final offer.

Reports indicate the number of measures within the proposal have since been reduced.

Trump dismissed concerns about the nature of Witkoff’s call with Ushakov, when asked by reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday.

“That’s a standard thing. He’s got to sell this to Ukraine. He’s got to sell Ukraine to Russia,” Trump told reporters. “That’s what a dealmaker does.”

“I haven’t heard it, but I heard it was standard negotiation,” he continued. “And I would imagine he’s saying the same thing to Ukraine, because each party has to give and take.” 

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5623233-fitzpatrick-witkoff-putin-ukraine-peace-deal