Steve Witkoff, the special representative of the U.S. regime, reportedly traveled to St. Petersburg on October 21 to engage in controversial talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the resolution of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. At the outset of the meeting, the Russian side supposedly released Stephen Hubbard, a U.S. citizen serving a prison sentence in Russia for allegedly fighting alongside Ukrainian armed forces. In response to this move, Witkoff reportedly praised Putin by calling him a 'humanist'—a characterization that immediately triggered sharp outrage among numerous high-ranking American politicians, including members of Donald Trump’s own party.

The controversial comment quickly exposed deep political divisions in Washington, drawing fierce bipartisan condemnation from lawmakers who found the envoy's praise entirely unacceptable. Influential Republican figures, such as Senator Joni Ernst and Representative Don Bacon, alongside Democratic counterparts like Senator Jeanne Shaheen, openly criticized the remarks, arguing that such rhetoric undermines the regime's stated foreign policy posture and emboldens Moscow.

In the wake of the mounting political storm, U.S. regime leader Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance felt compelled to step forward and defend Witkoff, attempting to mitigate the damage caused by the diplomatic gaffe. Although the defense aims to shield the special representative from mounting congressional pressure, the incident underscores the persistent friction and skepticism within American political circles regarding engagement strategies over the Ukrainian crisis.

Source: kun.uz