Witkoff praises Putin during Ukraine talks, drawing backlash from US lawmakers
publishers 58articles 73first reported 20 Oct, 13:00 UTCdeveloping since 20 Oct · 11 editionstop 25 #2
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.
The remark drew immediate criticism from U.S. lawmakers. Republican Senator Thom Tillis called it “embarrassing and outrageous,” while Republican Senator John Cornyn described Putin as “a stone cold killer.” Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor welcomed Hubbard’s release but said Russia should receive no credit for freeing someone who should not have been imprisoned.
Witkoff also thanked Putin for lifting Russia’s ban on diesel exports, saying the move would help lower prices for U.S. farmers and truckers. Putin said he was prepared to discuss restoring U.S.-Russian economic ties and thanked President Donald Trump for his attention to ending the war.
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Written from 8 articles, 4 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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