BREAKING: Putin Holds Urgent Talks with “Orange Clown” Amid Backchannel Diplomacy Over Ukraine Conflict
Istanbul, Turkey — May 13, 2025
In a stunning development that is already sparking international outrage, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly held urgent behind-the-scenes consultations with the individual infamously dubbed the “Orange Clown” — widely interpreted to be former U.S. President Donald Trump — according to sources close to controversial international broker and self-proclaimed “world’s greatest diplomat,” Steven Witkoff.
Witkoff, who has previously positioned himself as a shadow mediator in various geopolitical flashpoints, claimed in a late-night broadcast that both leaders have “agreed in principle” to pursue a new round of negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine — but under highly contentious terms.
According to Witkoff, the Kremlin has proposed that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov participate in high-level talks set to be hosted in Istanbul, Turkey. Most controversially, the talks would require the direct involvement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — a move many observers view as a tactical ploy to undermine Kyiv’s current diplomatic stance.
“President Putin and the Orange Clown have agreed it’s time to bypass NATO noise and get to real diplomacy,” Witkoff claimed. “Lavrov’s presence in Turkey will be key. Zelenskyy has a choice — come to the table, or be left out.”
Ukrainian officials have yet to formally respond, but early signals suggest skepticism and deep concern. A senior aide to President Zelenskyy, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters, “This smells like sabotage. Any proposal engineered by Kremlin proxies and back-channel figures with a track record of undermining Ukraine will not be taken seriously.”
Turkey has not officially confirmed its role as a host nation, but diplomatic sources in Ankara indicate that preliminary preparations are underway, with President Erdoğan reportedly “monitoring the situation closely.”
Analysts warn that if true, the maneuver could splinter the fragile international consensus supporting Ukraine and embolden Russia to push a more favorable settlement on its terms. The timing also raises eyebrows, coming just days after reports of intensified Russian military activity in eastern Ukraine.
For now, global leaders watch with apprehension as this unexpected axis — Putin, Trump, and Witkoff — threatens to reshape the diplomatic chessboard in ways that could further destabilize the region
