© EPA/ GAVRIIL GRIGOROV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL It is likely the Russians orchestrated this, and deliberately so.
Steve Witkoff, a special representative of Trump, inadvertently revealed on a social platform that Barak Ravid, a journalist from Axios, received details concerning a fresh peace proposal for Ukraine from an individual referred to as “K.” Michael Weiss from The Insider suggests this likely alludes to Kirill Dmitriev, an emissary of Putin.
“Reportedly, Steve Witkoff posted what seems to have been intended as a private message, indicating that the information for the widely-discussed Axios article was sourced from “K.” It is highly probable that this is a reference to Kirill Dmitriev, as he is cited within the piece,” he articulates.
The journalist emphasized that the disclosure of the recent draft proposal to the press was not merely coincidental on the part of the Russians.
“It also seems that Dom Philby is unfamiliar with the functionalities of Twitter, yet remains confident in his capacity to resolve the conflict,” he concluded.
Looks like Steve Witkoff tweeted what was meant to be a DM, saying the content for this much-discussed Axios story must have come from “K.” Almost certainly this refers to Kirill Dmitriev, who is quoted in the story. But it seems the Russian side is leaking this for a reason.… pic.twitter.com/xuP2lV1FcZ
— Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss) November 19, 2025
Weiss dubbed Witkoff “Dim Philby.” Kim Philby was a British intelligence agent, secretly a communist, and worked for Soviet intelligence. He passed away in Moscow in 1988. In English, “Dim” signifies being dull, faint, or lacking clarity.
In October, Trump voiced his astonishment at the five-hour discourse between Witkoff and Putin in Moscow. He mentioned that when dispatching the special envoy to Russia, he anticipated the meeting to last merely 15 to 20 minutes because “Steve possessed minimal knowledge of Russia, Putin, and politics.” Witkoff has journeyed to Russia at least five times this year for discussions, with the most recent occurring on August 6.
In the past, Valeriy Chaly, the former Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, shared his belief that the novel peace framework, stipulating that Kyiv should diminish its military force, weaponry, and relinquish territories, forms a segment of an expansive informational and psychological maneuver. He opines that its goal is to unsettle Ukrainians and foster the perception that surrender is unavoidable, with the intention of exerting pressure on the nation’s political echelons.
