War rages in Ukraine as push for peace complicated by leaked call from U.S. negotiator

Nick Schifrin:

Today, U.S. officials told "PBS News Hour" they are making progress toward a document designed to end the nearly four-year grinding war. But today in Ukraine, the war raged on.

Today in Ukraine, civilians pay the price of war. Terrified residents of Zaporizhzhia watch their homes burn. They grab prized possessions and feel peace is impossibly far. Asked about U.S. diplomacy:

Yulia Karavata, Zaporizhzhia Resident (through interpreter):

I don't know what to think. Looking at what's happened, this doesn't feel much like a peace plan.

Question (through interpreter):

Do you believe in peace?

Yulia Karavata (through interpreter):

No. If I let myself believe that, then peace will come at a very high cost, the cost of our lives.

Nick Schifrin:

The first draft of the U.S. peace plan required Ukraine to reduce the size of its military by almost a third, abandon ambitions to join NATO and give up and demilitarize territory in Donetsk that Russia has failed to seize despite 11 years of war.

Recently, Russia's called the fall of Donetsk inevitable, a position endorsed last night by President Trump.

Donald Trump, President of the United States: If you look, it's just moving in one direction. So, eventually, that's land that, over the next couple of months, might be gotten by Russia anyway.

Nick Schifrin:

Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called that assessment unacceptable.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President (through interpreter):

Russians are peddling the narrative around the world that Ukraine allegedly cannot defend itself. The daily results of our special forces and our deep strikes, these are all proof that Ukraine can defend its interests. It is not Ukraine that must be pressured for peace, but Russia.

Nick Schifrin:

U.S. and European officials tell "PBS News Hour" recent negotiations have produced significant edits and agreements on most points. But Ukraine wants the most difficult decision about giving up territory discussed directly by President Zelenskyy.

Next week, special envoy Steve Witkoff will go to Russia to meet Vladimir Putin, who today described progress.

Vladimir Putin, Russian President (through interpreter):

I will be happy to inform you about the direction of achieving acceptable and sought-after results for us in Ukraine by peaceful means.

Nick Schifrin:

Russia's confidence in a U.S. deal is now reflected by Witkoff's own words. Yesterday, Bloomberg published an unprecedented leaked transcript of a phone conversation between Witkoff and Putin's top foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov.

Witkoff told Ushakov:

"I have the deepest respect for President Putin." And Witkoff advised Ushakov on how Putin should speak to Trump: "Congratulate the president on this achievement of a cease-fire in Gaza."

In Ukraine, Witkoff said: "I know what it's going to take to get a peace deal done, Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere. But I'm saying, instead of talking like that, let's talk more hopefully, because I think we're going to get a deal here."

In response, Nebraska Republican Don Bacon, who's retiring, said Witkoff should be fired. And Pennsylvania Republican Brian Fitzpatrick said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, should be allowed to do his job.

But President Trump defended Witkoff.

Donald Trump:

I haven't heard it, but I heard it was standard negotiation.

Question:

So you're not worried that he's too pro-Russian?

Donald Trump:

No, I think, look, this war could go on for years. And Russia's got a lot more people, a lot more soldiers.

Nick Schifrin:

As for Ushakov, he said today the transcript was published to divide Washington from Moscow.

Yuri Ushakov, Russian Presidential Aide (through interpreter):

To interfere with us. It's unlikely it was done to improve the relationship.

Nick Schifrin:

But most European officials want the Washington-Moscow relationship to become more adversarial.

Kaja Kallas, Vice President, European Commission:

In any peace agreement, we have to put the focus on how to get concessions from Russian side, that they stop aggression for good and do not try to change borders by force.

Nick Schifrin:

In addition to Witkoff's travel to Russia next week, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will continue to speak to the Ukrainians after he returned to the U.S. today.