Russian Presidential Assistant: US Special Envoy to Visit Russia Next Week

TASS reported on the 26th, citing Russian Presidential Assistant Yuri Ushakov, that US Special Envoy for Middle East issues Wittkov will visit Moscow next week to hold meetings with Russian officials on the Ukraine issue.

Ushakov also stated that several US government officials involved in Ukraine affairs will accompany Wittkov on the visit to Moscow.

Regarding the leak of contents from a phone conversation he had with Wittkov last month concerning the Ukraine issue, Ushakov said that Russia does not disclose confidential conversation details to the media. The leak was an attempt by some to obstruct the process of improving Russia-US relations, "a process that is already challenging enough."

The contents of a phone conversation between Ushakov and Wittkov in mid-October regarding the Ukraine issue were leaked this week by US media.

At a press conference on the 25th, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia is not in a hurry to push the United States for negotiations on the Ukraine issue but hopes that the US side will inform Russia of the results of its consultations with Ukraine and Europe.