LONDON and KYIV, Ukraine — The Kremlin's chief foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, announced a "preliminary agreement" for U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to visit Moscow next week. This visit is seen as part of the White House's efforts to advance a potential peace plan between Ukraine and Russia.

In an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin, Ushakov stated, "As for Witkoff, I can say that a preliminary agreement has been reached that he will visit Moscow next week." He expressed hope that Witkoff would be accompanied by other members of the American team involved in discussions regarding Ukraine. Ushakov confirmed that Witkoff would "definitely" meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit.

The announcement follows the release of excerpts from a recording of a phone call between Witkoff and Ushakov. In this call, Witkoff reportedly provided advice on how Putin should present the Kremlin's peace plan to Trump. Ushakov acknowledged the call but refrained from discussing its details, suggesting that the leak of the conversation was intended to disrupt ongoing peace negotiations.

"I speak with Witkoff quite often, but I do not comment on the substance of our conversations because they are confidential," Ushakov said. He added that the leak was likely aimed at hindering discussions, stating, "It is unlikely that this is being done to improve relations. They are now being established, with difficulty, through contacts of this kind, including by telephone."

Ushakov denied that Russia was responsible for leaking the call, asserting, "Someone is leaking them, someone is listening in, but it’s not us." He suggested that the leak could have been orchestrated by Witkoff's critics.

Trump had previously informed reporters that Witkoff would be traveling to Russia, mentioning, "Now, Steve Witkoff is going over maybe with Jared. I’m not sure about Jared going, but he’s involved in the process, smart guy, and they’re going to be meeting with President Putin, I believe, next week in Moscow."

When asked about concerns that Witkoff might be too sympathetic to Russia's objectives, Trump responded, "No, but that’s a standard thing, you know, because he’s got to sell this to Ukraine. He’s got to sell Ukraine to Russia. That’s what he’s, that’s what a deal maker does."

Trump emphasized the importance of negotiation, stating, "You got to say, look, they want this. You’ve got to convince him with this. You know, that’s a very standard form of negotiation." He did not directly address whether Witkoff was too pro-Russia but noted that a deal would benefit both parties.

The discussions come after a weekend meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, where American, European, and Ukrainian officials convened to discuss a controversial U.S.-backed peace proposal. Critics argue that the terms of the proposal would amount to a capitulation by Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that the proposal could serve as a foundation for a final peace settlement, suggesting it aligned with the outcomes of his previous meeting with Trump in Alaska.

A Ukrainian official revealed that the original 28-point draft had been condensed to 19 points following the Geneva talks, which both American and Ukrainian representatives described as productive. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Geneva discussions produced a framework for moving forward, expressing readiness to collaborate with the U.S. and Europe.

After the Geneva meetings, a U.S. delegation continued discussions with Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Abu Dhabi. A U.S. official confirmed that Ukraine had agreed to the peace deal, with only minor details remaining to be resolved.

Trump did not specify which issues still needed agreement but mentioned that people are recognizing the deal as beneficial for both sides. He acknowledged the complexities of the negotiation process, particularly regarding land concessions.

As for future security guarantees for Ukraine, Trump indicated that discussions were ongoing with European nations, stating, "Europe will be largely involved in that. We’re working that out with Europe. Europe really wants to see it end, if possible."

Moscow has yet to officially comment on the new 19-point plan. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cautioned that any removal of key understandings from previous agreements would alter the situation significantly. Ushakov noted that the new plan had been communicated to Russia but had not been discussed in detail. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that it is too early to determine if a deal is imminent.