Witkoff to Putin: ‘You are a humanitarian … I salute that’
Donald Trump's envoy praises Russian leader in visit to St. Petersburg.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff hailed Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "humanitarian" during their meeting in St. Petersburg, praising his humanitarian efforts. Witkoff remarked, "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."
This encounter is part of the United States' ongoing efforts to facilitate negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, four-and-a-half years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Witkoff had previously met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo and is set to suggest trilateral talks between the two leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The conflict in Ukraine persisted overnight, with strikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv resulting in three deaths, according to local mayors. The United Nations reported that Putin's assault on Ukraine claimed 328 civilian lives alone in September. Moreover, Russia's forces have been targeting energy infrastructure across Ukraine in preparation for the winter season.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin in connection with the forced transfer of children to Russia following the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.
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