U.S. Vice President JD Vance defended Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, who called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "humanist." According to Vance, the diplomat deserves support for securing the release of an American citizen from a Russian prison, not criticism for compliments to the Kremlin leader.
Vance said this on October 21 while speaking with journalists. A video of his response was published by the White House on social network X.
The vice president was asked whether he agreed with the characterization of Putin given by Witkoff during talks in St. Petersburg.
"I agree with Steve Witkoff that he said something nice to a person who just released an American hostage," — Vance replied.
However, the vice president did not separately assert that he considers Putin a humanist. Instead, he emphasized that Witkoff is a diplomat whose task is to achieve concrete results in negotiations.
"I'm much less concerned about what Steve said than the fact that he is bringing an American hostage home to his family. We should all celebrate that rather than complain about Steve Witkoff's words spoken to achieve a result," — Vance stated. His remarks were also reported by Associated Press.
The discussion was prompted by Witkoff's words spoken on October 21 during a meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg. The American representative thanked the Russian president for the release of 74-year-old U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard, who spent more than four years in Russian custody.
Addressing Putin, Witkoff said that the Russian leader often calls U.S. President Donald Trump a humanist, and then used a similar characterization for the Russian leader.
"You are a humanist too, sir, and I welcome that, I appreciate it, and thank you again," — the American envoy said.
Witkoff's statement drew criticism from a number of American lawmakers, including members of the Republican Party.
Republican Senator John Cornyn called Putin a cold-blooded killer. His fellow Republican Tom Tillis called Witkoff's words outrageous and suggested the diplomat ask Ukrainian families who lost children as a result of Russian aggression whether they agree with such an assessment of the Russian president.
Republican Congressman Don Bacon also criticized the American envoy's statement, calling it another blunder.
Stephen Hubbard was detained by Russian forces in Ukraine in 2022. A Russian court subsequently sentenced him to prison on charges of participating in hostilities on the side of Ukraine. American authorities considered his imprisonment unlawful.
On October 21, Russia released Hubbard after Trump appealed to Putin. The U.S. president said the release occurred without an exchange for Russian prisoners.
On the same day, Witkoff held talks with Putin about a possible end to the war against Ukraine. The Russian side stated its fundamental readiness to resume trilateral consultations involving Kyiv and Washington in November, but no specific agreements on a ceasefire were reached.
