U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff drew swift criticism Wednesday after praising Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg following Russia’s release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American teacher held for four years. Hubbard, accused of being a Ukrainian mercenary, had been determined to be wrongfully detained, and President Trump had personally appealed for his freedom.
Witkoff told Putin that he, like Trump, deserved a humanitarian label and offered thanks for the release. Asked later at a White House roundtable on cyber crime whether he would use the same description, Trump said it could apply to freeing a man who expected life in prison, adding he would not comment one way or the other.
Several Republicans rebuked the remark. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina questioned Witkoff’s use of the word and invoked Ukrainian families harmed by the war, while Sen. John Cornyn of Texas called Putin, in his words, a “stone cold killer.” Sen. Susan Collins of Maine called Putin a warmonger and aggressor, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa said he was certainly no humanitarian, and Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska termed the episode another embarrassment.
Witkoff’s trip was aimed at advancing a settlement of the Ukraine war, which Putin started four and a half years ago. Before traveling to Russia, Witkoff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo, Norway, in a session Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as positive. Former Ambassador William Taylor said Hubbard’s homecoming was welcome but added that he should never have been jailed.