US President Donald Trump’s peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "humanitarian" during a meeting at the Constantine Palace in St Petersburg. The remark followed Russia's release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American citizen who had been detained in custody since 2022. Witkoff commended the Russian leader, stating, "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."
The diplomatic characterization marks a sharp contrast with previous administrative language, including former President Joe Biden's prior descriptions of Putin as "a butcher," a "murderous dictator," and a "pure thug." The envoy's comments drew immediate domestic pushback, with Republican Senator John Cornyn rejecting the label on social media platform X, writing, "No. Putin is a stone-cold killer."
The encounter in St Petersburg follows several recent policy shifts regarding Russia. On October 9, President Trump announced an agreement to bring Russian diesel into US and global markets aimed at lowering energy costs ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. A week later, on October 16, Trump waived sections of a Russia sanctions bill that had been enacted less than a month earlier.
The economic adjustments carry significant financial implications. Although estimates vary, Moscow is projected to secure an additional $300 million to $700 million in revenue resulting from the sanctions waivers, with expectations that much of these funds will support Russia's military campaign against Ukraine.
Addressing the broader direction of US policy, Trump reiterated his push for negotiations, stating, "It's time to make a deal. Remember this: Though we've given a lot to Ukraine, we've gotten absolutely nothing back." How these diplomatic overtures and economic waivers will shape international negotiations remains a key question for observers.
