U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff’s praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian drew Republican criticism Wednesday after a St. Petersburg meeting focused on efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine, CBS News reported.
Witkoff thanked Putin for Hubbard’s release before saying, “You are a humanitarian also, sir,” CBS reported. Putin announced the release during the meeting, as EconoTimes covered in its account of the announcement.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, called Witkoff’s comment “embarrassing and outrageous” in a post on X. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, responded to a video of the remarks on X, writing, “No. Putin is a stone cold killer.” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, called Putin a warmonger and the aggressor in the war against Ukraine when asked about the remark on the campaign trail, CBS reported.
Trump said at a White House roundtable on cybercrime that the humanitarian description fit Putin’s decision to allow Hubbard to leave prison, but declined to characterize the Russian leader more broadly. Witkoff’s visit was aimed at advancing efforts to resolve the war, CBS News reported.
