US President Donald Trump has come to the defense of his key Ukraine negotiator, Steve Witkoff, after a leaked phone call between Witkoff and a top Kremlin official was published by Bloomberg. The leak allegedly contains a conversation between Witkoff and Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov from October 14, although its authenticity has not been confirmed by either Russia or the US.

When questioned about the leaked call, Trump stated that he was unaware of the leak and defended Witkoff’s approach as standard negotiation tactics. According to Trump, Witkoff’s role as a dealmaker involves “selling” terms to both Russia and Ukraine, a process that requires convincing both parties to reach an agreement. Trump emphasized that this is a common form of negotiation, where each party must be willing to give and take.

The US President also addressed concerns that Witkoff may be too pro-Russian, stating “No” in response to the question. Trump expressed his desire to see a deal reached between Ukraine and Russia, citing the potential for the war to continue for years and the benefits of a peaceful resolution for both countries.

In a related development, Bloomberg published another transcript of a phone call, this time between Ushakov and Russia’s investment envoy and Ukraine negotiator, Kirill Dmitriev. However, Dmitriev has denied the accuracy of the transcript. Russian officials have previously accused Western media of spreading disinformation to undermine Trump’s mediation efforts.

US and Ukrainian negotiators recently met in Geneva, where Trump’s original 28-point peace plan was “fine-tuned” with input from both Russia and Ukraine. Trump has directed Witkoff to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, while US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will maintain contact with Ukrainian officials. The ongoing negotiations aim to find a resolution to the conflict, with Trump’s administration working to facilitate a deal between the two nations.