Witkoff praises Putin during Ukraine talks, drawing backlash from US lawmakers
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday as Washington sought to revive negotiations over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
At the start of the meeting, Witkoff said he hoped to discuss resuming trilateral talks among the United States, Russia and Ukraine, allowing technical teams to consider steps toward a peace settlement. He described talks held a day earlier in Oslo with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders as productive and said there was “some degree of momentum.” Witkoff was expected to return to Oslo for further consultations.
During the televised meeting, Witkoff praised Putin as “a humanitarian” following Russia’s release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired American teacher whom the U.S. State Department had designated as wrongfully detained. Hubbard had spent more than four years in Russian custody. …