US envoy Witkoff called Putin a humanitarian, drawing rebuke

Summarised from 3 outlets · 5 reports · Updated 21 Oct, 16:20 · Archive

US envoy Steve Witkoff called Russian President Vladimir Putin a humanitarian after Putin released American Stephen Hubbard, who had been detained in Russia for four years.

US envoy Steve Witkoff praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a 'humanitarian' after Putin released American Stephen Hubbard, 74, who had spent four years in Russian detention after being convicted of mercenary activity in Ukraine and was deemed wrongfully detained. Witkoff made the remark during a visit to St. Petersburg aimed at moving towards resolving the Ukraine war.

Witkoff told Putin: 'You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again.' The comment drew immediate backlash from Republican senators. Senator John Cornyn wrote on X: 'No. Putin is a stone cold killer.' Senator Thom Tillis said it was 'embarrassing and outrageous', and called on Witkoff to 'go back to Ukraine and ask the families of the children Putin has kidnapped and murdered whether they agree your friend Putin is a humanitarian.' Republican Representative Don Bacon called it 'another embarrassment'.

Former US ambassador William Taylor said the comment was 'cringeworthy', according to CBS News.

How it is being reported

• Khrushchev's great-granddaughter on Steve Hubbard's release, Witkoff calling Putin a humanitarianRussia freed an American citizen it had detained for years after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the future of the Ukraine war. Nina Khrushcheva, the great-granddaughter of former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and a professor of international affairs at The New School, weighs in.CBS News · 21 Oct, 16:57
• Donald Trump’s special envoy tells Vladimir Putin he is a ‘humanitarian’Steve Witkoff, the United States ’ special envoy, lauded Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” for releasing a “wrongfully detained” American as Moscow continued bombing civilians in Ukraine .Independent World · 21 Oct, 16:43
• Witkoff blasted for calling Putin a "humanitarian"After special envoy Steve Witkoff told Putin he was a "humanitarian" for releasing a U.S. citizen deemed to have been wrongfully detained, GOP Sen. John Cornyn responded, "No. Putin is a stone cold killer."CBS News · 21 Oct, 15:57
• US envoy Witkoff calls Russia’s Putin a ‘humanitarian’US envoy Steve Witkoff praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a ‘humanitarian’.Al Jazeera · 21 Oct, 15:39
• Witkoff calling Putin a humanitarian is "cringeworthy," former U.S. ambassador saysU.S. envoy Steve Witkoff called President Vladimir Putin "a humanitarian" after the Russian leader released a U.S. citizen who had been imprisoned by Russia since 2022. Former U.S. ambassador William Taylor shares his thoughts.CBS News · 21 Oct, 15:25

In this story: Steve Witkoff · Vladimir Putin · Stephen Hubbard · John Cornyn · Thom Tillis · Donald Trump · Russia · Ukraine

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