The Steady Drip: Gen. Clark to Newsmax: Leak Won't Derail Ukraine Peace Effort (Connecting the Dots: Army Gen. Wesley Clark, The Atlantic Council of the United States, The International Crisis Group, NATO, U.S. Military Academy (West Point), U.S. Army, The President's Commission on White House Fellowships & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Gen. Clark to Newsmax: Leak Won't Derail Ukraine Peace Effort (Connecting the Dots: Army Gen. Wesley Clark, The Atlantic Council of the United States, The International Crisis Group, NATO, U.S. Military Academy (West Point), U.S. Army, The President's Commission on White House Fellowships & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Newsmax.com

By Newsmax Wires | Wednesday, 26 November 2025 05:05 PM EST

https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/wesley-clark-steve-witkoff-yuri-ushakov/2025/11/26/id/1236189/

Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark told Newsmax on Wednesday that reports of a leaked conversation between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian adviser Yuri Ushakov should have no bearing on whether negotiators can finalize a deal to end the war in Ukraine, despite the political noise it generated.

The former NATO commander told "American Agenda" that the incident — a purported recording in which Witkoff allegedly coached Ushakov on how to frame a potential leaders' call, including by praising President Donald Trump as "a man of peace" — primarily reinforces suspicions long held in Kyiv, not any new strategic shift.

"I don't know that the leak is particularly damaging, except that it makes it look like there's some secret agreement between the United States and Russia and that it's Ukraine on the outs," Clark said. "But if you went to the Ukrainians, they felt that way from the beginning. From the beginning, they felt that President Trump was trying to help Russia rather than help Ukraine."

Clark contrasted the dynamics in Ukraine with the recently concluded ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying the U.S. was able to work "with its ally that shares its values," Israel, against a terrorist organization. By comparison, Ukraine — a U.S. partner that "believes in democracy" and is fighting an "aggressor nation" — sees mixed signals in Washington.

Still, he stressed that the leak "doesn't have any real bearing on the outcome" of current talks.

Pressed on why Kyiv is demanding firm security guarantees, Clark pointed to the historical backdrop: Ukraine's belief that the 1994 Budapest Memorandum offered protection that ultimately failed when Russia seized Crimea in 2014.

Clark said Ukrainians viewed that document as a U.S. commitment, even though it was not legally binding because it never went before the Senate.

"If we're going to look at a security guarantee here, it really needs to go in front of the United States Senate and be a legally binding agreement," he said.

Clark argued the central obstacle to peace remains Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"If you go to Putin and say, 'Why don't you stop the shooting,' he won't stop," Clark said. "He wants to use diplomacy as a wedge between the United States, Europe, our European allies, and the Ukrainians."

The real pressure, he added, should be placed on Moscow — not Kyiv — if the goal is a lasting agreement.

Connecting the Dots:

William H. Draper Jr. was a U.S. ambassador for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and William H. Draper III’s father.

William H. Draper III is William H. Draper Jr’s son and was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Wesley K. Clark was the supreme allied commander – Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Robert E. Hunter was a U.S. ambassador for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Norman W. Ray was the assistant secretary general for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

James L. Jones Jr. was supreme allied commander - Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George A. Joulwan was the supreme allied commander for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Europe and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

R. Nicholas Burns was a U.S. permanent representative for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Andrew Goodpaster was a supreme allied commander Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

James G. Stavridis was a supreme allied commander Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Wesley K. Clark is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), was the supreme allied commander – Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and applied for the U.S. Military Academy (West Point).

George A. Joulwan was a professor at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Andrew Goodpaster was a superintendent for the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) and a chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Daniel W. Christman was a superintendent for the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Wesley K. Clark is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), was the supreme allied commander – Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), applied for the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) and a general in the U.S. Army.

George A. Joulwan was a general in the U.S. Army and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Barry R. McCaffrey was a general in the U.S. Army and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Robert W. RisCassi was a general in the U.S. Army and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Carl E. Vuono was a general in the U.S. Army and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Eric K. Shinseki was a general in the U.S. Army, the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the Barack Obama administration and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Togo D. West Jr. is the secretary for the U.S. Army, the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the general counsel for the U.S. Department of Defense and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and a board member at the International Crisis Group.

Wesley K. Clark is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), was a board member at the International Crisis Group, the supreme allied commander – Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), applied for the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), a general in the U.S. Army and a commissioner for the President's Commission on White House Fellowships.

Maya Lin was a commissioner for the President's Commission on White House Fellowships and is an honorary trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

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Global Green USA is the US affiliate for Green Cross International.

Mikhail Gorbachev was the founder for the Green Cross International, the president of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), a general secretary for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and an advisory board member for the Wheelchair Foundation.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was an advisory board member for the Wheelchair Foundation and the chair for the Roosevelt Institute.

Jonathan Soros is a senior fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, George Soros’s son and was the vice chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

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Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Roosevelt Institute.

Katrina vanden Heuvel was a governor for the Roosevelt Institute, is a director at the Roosevelt Institute, the editor & publisher for The Nation and married to Stephen F. Cohen.

Stephen F. Cohen is a contributing editor for The Nation, married to Katrina vanden Heuvel and was a friend of Mikhail Gorbachev.

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Jane Fonda Jane Fonda A.K.A. Hanoi Jane was married to Tom Hayden & Ted Turner.

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David M. Rubenstein was a benefactor at the Aspen Institute (think tank), Joe Biden spent Thanksgiving with him, is a co-founder & co-CEO for the Carlyle Group and the president of the Economic Club of Washington.

Edward J. Mathias is a managing director at the Carlyle Group and a director at the Economic Club of Washington.

Carol A. Melton was a director at the Economic Club of Washington and a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.

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Viktor F. Yanukovich is a Davis Manafort client and was the president for the Ukraine.

Ivo H. Daalder was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) U.S. permanent representative.

John R. Allen is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and was the supreme allied commander Europe nominee for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and a board member at the International Crisis Group.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Maya Lin was a commissioner for the President's Commission on White House Fellowships and is an honorary trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

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Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

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Jane Sullivan Roberts was a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and is married to John G. Roberts Jr.

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