Edward Lucas calls Steve Witkoff an imbecile for compliments to Putin

Sharp reaction to special envoy's assessments

Financial Times columnist Edward Lucas called Steve Witkoff an "imbecile". The harsh criticism followed the US President Donald Trump's special envoy calling Vladimir Putin a "humanitarian" during a meeting in St Petersburg. This assessment was made against the backdrop of gratitude for the release of 75-year-old American Stephen Hubbard.

Arguments against "humanitarianism"

Although Edward Lucas did not mention Witkoff's specific words in his public statement, he emphasised the scale of crimes committed under Putin's leadership. The journalist noted that the Russian leader is responsible for over a million deaths, the systematic persecution and murder of dissidents, as well as thousands of children who were illegally taken from their families.

Senator's response and Kremlin's position

In the US, politicians also reacted to Witkoff's statements. Republican Senator Tom Tillis advised the special envoy to consult a dictionary to clarify the meaning of words. Tillis also suggested that Witkoff ask the families of abducted and killed Ukrainian children whether they agree with such a characterisation of the Russian president.

It is worth noting that in 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin specifically for the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. Meanwhile, the Kremlin reacted differently to Witkoff's compliments. Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov stated that the proposals brought by the special envoy from Oslo "do not fully satisfy" Moscow.