‘WTF, Steve?’ U.S. lawmakers outraged after Witkoff calls Putin a ‘humanitarian,’ leaving Trump and Vance to defend their envoy — how each outlet reported it
Tema: Libertação de americano mostra cálculo de Moscou para alinhar ainda mais Trump a interesses russos contra a Ucrânia
The Times of India: Who is next Republican nominee for US Prez? Vance expects endorsement; Trump says 'no' — US President Donald Trump has declined to endorse Vice President JD Vance for the 2028 presidential election. While Vance expects Trump's support if he runs, Trump did not commit to backing him. Trump stated there are many capable individuals who could succeed him in the future. Vance acknowledged… (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/who-is-the-next-republican-nominee-for-us-president-jd-vance-expects-2028-endorsement-trump-says-no/articleshow/135079753.cms)
Meduza (English): Vance defends Trump envoy’s ‘humanitarian’ praise for Putin — U.S. Vice President JD Vance backed President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who called Vladimir Putin a “humanist.” (https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/10/21/vance-defends-trump-envoy-s-humanitarian-praise-for-putin)
TASS: Trump says he seeks to avoid wrong moves in Ukraine settlement efforts — The US president commented on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff (https://tass.com/world/2205859)
TASS: Russia signals readiness to resume trilateral talks as Putin meets with US envoy — The Russian president told Steve Witkoff that Moscow was generally ready to resume talks around November 10, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov said (https://tass.com/politics/2205855)
ABC News (Austrália): Putin agrees to resume peace talks with Ukraine and US — Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to resume US-mediated peace talks with Ukraine as soon as next month, following a meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff. (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-22/putin-agrees-to-resume-three-way-talks-on-ukraine-war/107294994)
TASS: RDIF CEO thanks US negotiators Witkoff, Kushner for their peacemaking efforts — Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said earlier that President Vladimir Putin had told visiting US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff that Russia is ready to resume trilateral negotiations on the crisis in Ukraine around November 10 (https://tass.com/politics/2205903)
O Globo: Libertação de americano mostra cálculo de Moscou para alinhar ainda mais Trump a interesses russos contra a Ucrânia — No momento em que o presidente russo, Vladimir Putin, se encontrava com Steve Witkoff, negociador enviado pela Casa Branca para encontrar saídas para a guerra na Ucrânia, o Kremlin anunciou a libertação de um professor americano preso desde 2022. Classificado de “humanitário” por Witkoff, o gesto… (https://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2026/10/22/libertacao-de-americano-mostra-calculo-de-moscou-para-alinhar-ainda-mais-trump-a-interesses-russos-contra-a-ucrania.ghtml)
Le Figaro: «Vous êtes vous aussi un humanitaire» : l’embarrassant compliment de l’émissaire américain Steve Witkoff à Vladimir Poutine — Reçu en Russie ce mercredi 21 octobre, le négociateur de Donald Trump a salué la libération d’un ressortissant américain détenu depuis le début de la guerre. (https://www.lefigaro.fr/international/vous-etes-vous-aussi-un-humanitaire-l-embarrassant-compliment-de-l-emissaire-americain-steve-witkoff-a-vladimir-poutine-20261022)
NPR: Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor on Trump's embrace of Russia — NPR's Steve Inskeep asks former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor about President Trump's embrace of Russia as envoy Steve Witkoff visits Moscow after meeting Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (https://www.npr.org/2026/10/22/nx-s1-6010509/former-u-s-ambassador-to-ukraine-william-taylor-on-trumps-embrace-of-russia)
TASS: IN BRIEF: Kremlin spokesman comments on Putin-Witkoff meeting, trilateral talks on Ukraine — Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not send any documents containing proposals for a settlement in Ukraine through US special envoy Steve Witkoff (https://tass.com/politics/2206281)
Infobae: El Kremlin confirma que Putin no entregó a Witkoff ninguna nueva propuesta sobre la guerra de Ucrania — (https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2026/10/22/el-kremlin-confirma-que-putin-no-entrego-a-witkoff-ninguna-nueva-propuesta-sobre-la-guerra-de-ucrania/)
TASS: Witkoff feels optimistic after meeting with Putin — Vance — The US Vice President noted that Steve Witkoff re-engaged in the process (https://tass.com/world/2206351)
France 24: La Russie n'a pas "changé d'attitude", estime Zelensky après des frappes en Ukraine — L'attitude de Moscou reste inchangée, a estimé jeudi le président ukrainien après une rencontre avec l'émissaire américain Steve Witkoff, en déplacement à Oslo. Sur le terrain, des frappes nocturnes ont fait de nouvelles victimes en Ukraine, malgré une relance de la diplomatie. (https://www.france24.com/fr/europe/20261022-russie-pas-chang%C3%A9-attitude-estime-zelensky-apr%C3%A8s-frappes-ukraine)
The Guardian: Downing Street rejects Witkoff’s description of Putin as a ‘humanitarian’ — No 10 says Russian president ‘has killed thousands of people, both innocent Ukrainians and his own people’ Downing Street has rejected the description of Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” made by Donald Trump’s chief negotiator on the Ukraine war. Steve Witkoff met the Russian president in St… (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/22/downing-street-us-envoy-witkoff-putin-humanitarian)
The Straits Times: Ukraine’s Zelensky says fresh Russian strikes show ‘no change’ in Kremlin position — Moscow fired a wave of ballistic missiles into Ukraine just after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Russia's leader. (https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/ukraines-zelensky-says-fresh-russian-strikes-show-no-change-in-kremlin-position)
Meduza (English): U.S., Russia, and Ukraine discuss resuming trilateral peace talks in November as missile and drone strikes continue — Three-way talks between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine could resume in November. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed this, following statements from the Kremlin that it was ready for such talks. (https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/10/22/u-s-russia-and-ukraine-discuss-resuming-trilateral-peace-talks-in-november-as-missile-and-drone-strikes-continue)
NZ Herald: Zelenskyy says fresh Russian strikes show ‘no change’ in Kremlin position — Two people were killed and more than 30 wounded in Kyiv, city authorities said. (https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/zelenskyy-says-fresh-russian-strikes-show-no-change-in-kremlin-position/N4V3NETJ3FBGDKWHVCVUWELXCY/)
TASS: Russia ready to resume trilateral talks on Ukraine — Putin — The Russian president commented on the recent meeting with US special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff (https://tass.com/politics/2206531)
Observador: O Kremlin confirma a reunião entre Vladimir Putin e o env... — A reunião focou-se nas perspetivas para o relançamento de conversações de paz sobre a Ucrânia e na eventual realização de encontros diplomáticos trilaterais no futuro. (https://observador.pt/programas/a-guerra-traduzida/o-kremlin-confirma-a-reuniao-entre-vladimir-putin-e-o-enviado-norte-americano-steve-witkoff/)
Meduza (English): ‘WTF, Steve?’ U.S. lawmakers outraged after Witkoff calls Putin a ‘humanitarian,’ leaving Trump and Vance to defend their envoy — U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on October 21 for talks on ending the war in Ukraine. At the start of the meeting, Putin announced that Russia had freed Stephen Hubbard, a U.S. citizen serving a prison sentence on mercenary charges… (https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/10/22/wtf-steve-u-s-lawmakers-outraged-after-witkoff-calls-putin-a-humanitarian-leaving-trump-and-vance-to-defend-their-envoy)
Meduza (English): Putin cites unspecified genetic research to claim Russians and Ukrainians are ‘one people’ — In an interview with Pavel Zarubin, a correspondent for the Russian state broadcaster VGTRK, Vladimir Putin spoke for the first time about his talks with Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and outlined Russia’s position. (https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/10/22/putin-cites-unspecified-genetic-research-to-claim-russians-and-ukrainians-are-one-people)
Meduza (English): Why Kyiv is skeptical of Trump’s renewed peace negotiations with Russia and Ukraine — On October 20, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and representatives of European countries in Oslo, where he presented his proposals for a peace settlement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. (https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/10/22/why-kyiv-is-skeptical-of-trump-s-renewed-peace-negotiations-with-russia-and-ukraine)
El Mundo: Putin asegura que está dispuesto a "llegar a un acuerdo" con Ucrania y admite la necesidad de hablar de "la arquitectura de la seguridad europea" — El asunto se planteó durante su reunión con Steve Witkoff en San Petersburgo, según el Kremlin Leer (https://www.elmundo.es/internacional/2026/10/22/6ada69db21efa0dd778b4577.html)
TASS: Russia, Ukraine can make agreement — Putin — The Russian president added that Russians and Ukrainians were, in fact, one people (https://tass.com/politics/2206551)
Metrópoles: Putin diz que Rússia está pronta para retomar negociações com Ucrânia e EUA — Declaração de Putin foi dada após reunião com o enviado especial de Trump, Steve Witkoff, em São Petersburgo (https://www.metropoles.com/mundo/putin-diz-que-russia-esta-pronta-para-retomar-negociacoes-com-ucrania-e-eua)
El Universal: Putin asegura estar dispuesto a "llegar a un acuerdo" con Ucrania; rusos y ucranianos "son un mismo pueblo", dice — Plantea buscar una salida al conflicto y reanudar las conversaciones sobre garantías de seguridad, tras los contactos del emisario estadounidense Steve Witkoff (https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/mundo/putin-asegura-estar-dispuesto-a-llegar-a-un-acuerdo-con-ucrania-rusos-y-ucranianos-son-un-mismo-pueblo-dice/)
The Straits Times: Putin says talks must focus on security for Russia, Ukraine and Europe overall — MOSCOW, Oct 22 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that future talks on a settlement of the war in Ukraine should focus on security guarantees for both countries and an overall framework for security throughout Europe. (https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/putin-says-talks-must-focus-on-security-for-russia-ukraine-and-europe-overall)
The Independent: Streeting invokes Churchill’s ‘crocodile’ warning after Trump envoy calls Putin ‘humanitarian’ — Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said there is a “clear line between appeasement and a peace process” after Donald Trump’s chief negotiator on the Ukraine war described Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian”. (https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/wes-streeting-churchill-steve-witkoff-putin-humanitarian-b3071889.html)
UOL: Putin diz que negociações precisam se concentrar na segurança da Rússia, da Ucrânia e da Europa como um todo — MOSCOU, 22 Out (Reuters) - O presidente russo, Vladimir Putin, afirmou nesta quinta-feira que as futuras negociações para a resolução da guerra na Ucrânia deveriam ?se concentrar em garantias de segurança para ?ambos os países e em um quadro geral de segurança em toda a Europa. (https://noticias.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/reuters/2026/10/22/putin-diz-que-negociacoes-precisam-se-concentrar-na-seguranca-da-russia-da-ucrania-e-da-europa-como-um-todo.htm)
The Japan Times: Russia-Ukraine conflict continues despite prospects of renewed talks — Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russia was ready to resume U.S.-mediated talks with Ukraine next month. (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/10/23/world/russia-ukraine-conflict-talks/)
CNN Brasil: Negociações devem focar na segurança da Rússia, Ucrânia e Europa, diz Putin — Afirmação do presidente russo acontece um dia após reunião com o enviado presidencial dos EUA, Steve Witkoff (https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/internacional/negociacoes-devem-focar-na-seguranca-da-russia-ucrania-e-europa-diz-putin/)