Trump-Putin relations
Inside the Diplomatic Back Channel: How US Envoy Guided Russia on Pitching Ukraine Peace Plan to Trump
Nov 26, 2025 10:06 am CST
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff held a strategic phone call with Kremlin official Yuri Ushakov, coaching him on how Vladimir Putin should approach Donald Trump about a Ukraine peace plan. This diplomatic back channel reveals the origins of the controversial 28-point peace proposal that the US has pressured Ukraine to accept, providing unprecedented insight into the complex negotiations between Washington and Moscow.
Trump Imposes Major Sanctions on Russia's Largest Oil Companies After Failed Ukraine Peace Talks
Oct 23, 2025 10:15 am CST
President Donald Trump has sanctioned Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, after concluding that Vladimir Putin was not negotiating in good faith regarding Ukraine. The sanctions follow a canceled Trump-Putin summit in Budapest and represent one of the largest sanction packages against Russia. The European Union has also announced new measures against Russia, including a future ban on liquefied natural gas imports.