Moscow expects detailed contacts between Witkoff and Putin

The Kremlin is expecting US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Moscow and his detailed contacts with Vladimir Putin, said Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov.

"We anticipate such a visit. We anticipate detailed contacts with the president," Peskov said, as quoted by Russian media, commenting on the statement by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov that Whitkoff's visit is expected next week.

Peskov also stated that there is nothing wrong with the publication of leaked telephone conversations involving Witkoff, since "President Trump himself, by the way, has already spoken indirectly in defense of Witkoff," and "this is the usual work of a negotiator with the parties to the negotiation process."

At the same time, Peskov stated that demands to fire Witkoff after the publication of his telephone conversations are aimed at disrupting the modest results of the peace talks so far.

"There's a process going on there, a serious one, and right now, there's probably nothing more important than that," Peskov said. He added that against this backdrop, "many people will emerge who will stop at nothing to disrupt this process."