Russia says calls for US envoy Witkoff's dismissal could harm Ukraine peace process

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized on Wednesday calls to dismiss the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, following the publication of alleged transcripts of his conversations with Russian Presidential Assistant Yury Ushakov.

Speaking in an interview with Russian VGTRK tele- and radiocompany, Peskov said those calls are aimed to disrupt "fragile trends" toward peaceful resolution in Ukraine.

"Above all, there's nothing frightening in this material. If we abstract from the question of whether it's true or false," he said.

The Kremlin spokesman added that even US President Donald Trump described the conversations as "typical negotiator work."

"Probably, those voices that are now calling for Witkoff's dismissal primarily aim to sabotage the fragile trends towards finding a path to resolution through peace negotiations," Peskov said.

He stressed that there are a lot of people who would not hesitate "to do whatever it takes to thwart this process."