US special envoy Steve Witkoff has been branded "embarrassing" and "pathetic" after he praised Vladimir Putin as a "humanitarian" during talks in St Petersburg as the US continues to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Praise for Putin sparks backlash
Mr Witkoff made the comment during crunch negotiations with the Russian president. The remark drew immediate criticism, with Senator Thom Tillis among those condemning the envoy's choice of words.
In a post on social media, Senator Tillis wrote: "WTF, Steve? Look up the definition of 'humanitarian.' What an embarrassing and outrageous thing to say. You should go back to Ukraine and ask the families of the children Putin has kidnapped and murdered whether they agree your friend Putin is a 'humanitarian.'"
Context of the talks
The meeting in St Petersburg came as the US continues its efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The praise for Putin was made in relation to the release of Stephen Hubbard, though details of the release were not provided in the report.
The backlash follows other recent developments involving Russia, including a £40m Russian fighter jet crash and rumours surrounding North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's health.
