Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has dismissed Sir Keir Starmer’s proposal for an international force to back a ceasefire in Ukraine as merely a “posture and a pose.” In an interview with pro-Trump journalist Tucker Carlson, Witkoff expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that he “liked” him and found him to be “super smart.”
During the interview, Witkoff shared that Putin had been “gracious” and “straight up” with him, even revealing that Putin had prayed for Trump following an assassination attempt last year. Witkoff also mentioned that Putin had gifted Trump with a portrait of himself, which Trump was evidently moved by. Despite these sentiments, Witkoff struggled to identify the five regions of Ukraine that were either annexed or partially occupied by Russian forces.
Witkoff reiterated various Russian arguments during the interview, including the assertion that Ukraine is a “false country.” He questioned when the world would acknowledge the occupied Ukrainian territory as Russian soil and highlighted the perceived inadequacies of Ukraine’s government in handling the conflict in the region. Additionally, Witkoff made statements that were either inaccurate or contentious, further fueling the ongoing debate surrounding the situation in Ukraine.
Addressing Keir Starmer’s ambition to establish a “coalition of the willing” to provide military security guarantees for a post-war Ukraine, Witkoff dismissed the idea as overly simplistic and likened it to a misguided attempt to emulate the wartime leadership of Winston Churchill. He emphasized the role of NATO in safeguarding Europe and suggested that a ceasefire in the Black Sea could soon be implemented. Furthermore, Witkoff outlined Trump’s vision for collaboration with Russia once relations had been normalized, envisioning joint efforts in areas such as energy policies and technological advancements
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