Behind the Scenes of Ukraine Talks: What Went Wrong?

A leaked phone call between a top Russian official and a U. S. envoy has stirred up quite a mess. The conversation, which took place on October 14th, involved Yuri Ushakov, a senior diplomat close to Vladimir Putin, and Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump's special envoy for peace missions. The leaked details, published by Bloomberg, have caused quite a stir. Ushakov, now 78, was not happy about the leak. He told reporters that it was "of course unacceptable" and even suggested that parts of the transcript were "fake. " Kirill Dmitriev, another Putin ally, backed up this claim. Ushakov also mentioned that he would be speaking directly to Witkoff about the leak. He said they would "exchange opinions by phone. " He even hinted that the leak might have been intentional to sabotage the talks. The leaked call has sparked widespread anger. Trump's defense of the situation, claiming that such flattery is common in international negotiations, hasn't helped calm things down. Meanwhile, Kremlin figures expected the U. S. plan to closely resemble Moscow's draft, a claim the White House denies. Despite the furor, Ushakov insisted that Moscow would still host Witkoff next week. He even said that Witkoff could "definitely" meet with the Russian president, who is 73. However, Ushakov also admitted that no one had sat down to go "point-by-point" through the proposal yet. The leak has injected mistrust into an already tense situation. It has put Witkoff's planned Moscow visit and any ceasefire negotiations under even greater scrutiny. European leaders have warned against any deal that would allow land grabs. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has cautioned against the "unilateral carving up" of a sovereign nation. Kyiv's position remains clear: any settlement must restore territorial integrity and security guarantees. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signaled that he will discuss elements of the U. S. proposal directly with Trump. He has also urged allies to keep air defenses and funding flowing amid renewed barrages. The situation is complex and fraught with tension. The leak has only added to the mistrust and uncertainty. It remains to be seen how this will all play out.