Russia Condemns Leak of Trump–Putin Advisers’ Call as Hybrid Warfare

Russia has sharply criticized the leak of a recorded call between senior advisers to Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, calling it an unacceptable act of hybrid warfare meant to disrupt ongoing discussions about a Ukraine peace plan. The controversy began after Bloomberg News published what it said was a transcript of an October 14 conversation between Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov. During the call, Witkoff reportedly offered guidance on how Moscow might frame a Ukraine peace proposal in a way that would appeal to Trump. Bloomberg confirmed it had reviewed the recording but did not disclose how it obtained access to such a sensitive diplomatic exchange.

Ushakov expressed strong displeasure over the publication, stressing that the conversations were never intended for public release. He suggested that the leak appeared designed to hinder delicate communications between Washington and Moscow at a time when discussions about the war in Ukraine remain highly complex. Speaking with Kommersant newspaper, Ushakov explained that some of his talks were conducted over encrypted government channels, which are rarely breached unless a participant deliberately allows it. He added that other conversations occurred over WhatsApp, which he acknowledged could theoretically be intercepted. However, he rejected the idea that the leak originated from anyone on the call and said he planned to raise the issue directly with Witkoff.

The fallout widened when Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO and Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev dismissed Bloomberg’s report about a separate October 29 call with Ushakov as “fake.” Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused Western media outlets of participating in an information campaign driven by European governments to undermine Russia’s relationship with the United States. Kommersant’s Kremlin correspondent framed the situation with the provocative headline: “Who set up Steve Witkoff?” Bloomberg has not commented on Russia’s allegations or on how it obtained the recordings, while Reuters noted that it competes with Bloomberg News.