Witkoff Putin 'humanitarian' remark rejected by Downing Street
Downing Street has rejected the Witkoff Putin humanitarian remark: Donald Trump's Ukraine war negotiator Steve Witkoff called Vladimir Putin a 'humanitarian' during talks in St Petersburg on Wednesday, and a spokesperson responded that Putin has killed thousands of innocent Ukrainians.
Witkoff Putin 'humanitarian' remark rejected by Downing Street
What Witkoff said to Putin
Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump's chief negotiator on the Ukraine war, met the Russian president in St Petersburg on Wednesday as he sought to push for an end to the invasion of Ukraine.
In a Russian state media video clip posted on X, Witkoff could be heard telling Putin: "You are a humanitarian also sir, and I salute that. I commend you."
Downing Street's response
A Downing Street spokesperson said the government did not recognise the characterisation, and that President Putin had killed thousands of innocent Ukrainians as well as his own Russian people, sent to their deaths on the frontline.
The spokesperson added that Putin was starving children and the elderly of heat and warmth, and was systematically targeting critical national infrastructure.
Quoting Ukraine's foreign minister, the spokesperson said: "This night, the residents of Kyiv heard what Russian humanitarianism really sounds like."
UK ministers align against the characterisation
Scottish secretary Douglas Alexander told LBC that Britain did not recognise the description of Putin as a humanitarian either. "We simply do not recognise the description of Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian," he said.
Asked whether ministers would make that argument directly to the US administration, the Downing Street spokesperson said Britain engages regularly with partners on Ukraine and would continue to do so.
Alexander described Britain's view of Putin as that of someone who illegally invaded Ukraine at the start of this conflict, pointing also to his government's conduct, which has included attempted assassinations on UK soil.
Where the peace push stands
The meeting took place with the US putting pressure on Kyiv to agree to a settlement. As Putin and Witkoff spoke, Russia continued missile attacks on Ukraine, including a drone strike on Kharkiv.
- After the meeting, Russia agreed in principle to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the US.
- Trump suggested the two countries were "maybe now the closest we've been" to ending the war.
