Witkoff proposed restoring Russian energy transit through Ukraine in talks with Budanov - Le Monde

The meeting took place at the Shell Bay golf club in Hallandale Beach, Florida, with US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner also in attendance.

According to Le Monde, Witkoff presented what he called a regional prosperity plan involving Ukraine, Europe and Russia. The proposal included fully reopening pipelines carrying Russian oil and gas through Ukraine to European markets.

Witkoff argued that Ukraine could receive dividends from the arrangement while Europe would benefit from lower energy prices.

The newspaper described Budanov as increasingly frustrated during the nearly three-hour meeting, saying he felt the US envoy was lecturing him about how Ukraine could make money.

"Our model is not Belarus, but Poland!" Budanov reportedly told the US delegation, according to Le Monde, as cited by hromadske.

The report said Budanov called President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who advised him not to show that anything was wrong.

The talks reportedly ended after the Ukrainian delegation learned of a separate US arrangement allowing Russian diesel fuel onto global markets.

"Accept this diesel deal and stop striking Russian oil refineries! You are putting the world at risk!" Witkoff reportedly told the Ukrainian delegation.

On October 9, Trump announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning Russian diesel supplies. The US Treasury subsequently issued a temporary license authorizing certain transactions involving Russian diesel.

Le Monde's broader investigation examines the role of Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, in promoting business deals with Washington as a route toward an agreement over the war in Ukraine.

The reported proposals have not been announced as an agreement between Kyiv and Washington.