US envoy calls Putin a 'humanitarian' as Washington shifts on Ukraine

· Politics · Russia · United States

US envoy Steve Witkoff praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court as a war criminal, as a "humanitarian" during talks in St Petersburg on Oct 21, as Washington made what a former US ambassador called a "180 degree" shift on Ukraine. Putin ordered the release of jailed American Stephen Hubbard after a US request. Critics, including Guardian columnist Andrew Roth, said the flattery could be part of a mendacious stratagem, while former officials argued Americans deserve an explanation for the policy reversal.

Why it matters：A sharp US rhetorical shift toward Moscow unsettles allies and raises questions about the terms of any Ukraine settlement.

Key points

  • Witkoff called Putin a "humanitarian."
  • Putin freed American Stephen Hubbard after a US request.
  • A former US envoy described a "180 degree" policy shift.

Sources (original reporting)

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