Russiaupdated 2h ago2 min read
Downing Street Rejects Steve Witkoff’s Vladimir Putin ‘Humanitarian’ Description
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UK government rejected Witkoff's Putin as 'humanitarian' remark. Witkoff, a Trump ally, praised Putin as humanitarian during talks.
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Putin Called Humanitarian
Downing Street rejected the characterization of Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” after Steve Witkoff made the remark as he met the Russian president this week in St Petersburg. A Downing Street spokeswoman said, “We certainly do not recognise that characterisation, and president Putin has killed thousands of people, both innocent Ukrainians and his own Russian people, who he has sent to their deaths on the frontline.” The dispute unfolded as Moscow agreed in principle to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the US, and as the US president made a new push to end the Ukraine war and put pressure on Kyiv to agree to a settlement.
The same reporting said Russia continued to launch missile strikes at Kyiv despite the apparent willingness to negotiate, and it described Andy Burnham speaking with Finnish President Alexander Stubb after a meeting between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Witkoff in the Norwegian capital Oslo. Downing Street said the Prime Minister and Mr Stubb both “underlined how it was crucial to maintain the momentum on Ukraine to end Russia’s unjustified attacks” in their phone call.
Witkoff’s Remark, UK Pushback
Steve Witkoff told Vladimir Putin, “You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again,” in remarks tied to the Kremlin’s release of Stephen Hubbard. The UK government reacted by rejecting the description, quoting a spokeswoman for Andy Burnham saying, “We don’t recognise that characterisation.” The same account said the comment came within hours of a wave of Russian missiles and attack drones launched at Kyiv, killing at least one person and injuring another 22, including four children.
LBC quoted Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander rejecting the idea that the UK agreed with Witkoff, saying, “No, we don’t.” LBC also quoted Alexander saying, “So we simply do not recognise the description of Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian,” while adding that the government was “crystal clear” it stood “foursquare behind Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine.”
Peace Talks, Ongoing Strikes
Moscow agreed in principle to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the US after Witkoff’s meeting with Vladimir Putin, and the reporting framed the move alongside Donald Trump’s suggestion that Russia and Ukraine were “maybe now the closest we’ve been” to ending the war. Trump seconded Witkoff’s “humanitarian” description and praised Putin for releasing Stephen Hubbard, and it quoted Trump offering a qualified “yes” when asked whether he agreed with the envoy. The Independent also said Witkoff praised Putin and credited him with saying nice things about Trump during a meeting recorded and released on Russian state media.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s spokesperson said, “We certainly do not recognize that characterization,” and it repeated the spokesperson’s line that Putin “has killed thousands of people.” POLITICO added that Russia continued to launch missile strikes at Kyiv despite the apparent willingness to negotiate, and it described a Downing Street spokeswoman saying any peace had to include “security guarantees for Ukraine” and ensure war did not return to the European continent.