GOP senator: Putin is ‘anything but a humanitarian’

Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) slammed special envoy Steve Witkoff’s characterization of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian,” instead calling the Russian leader “an evil killer.”

Cramer also declared he would rather die in a Russian prison than have someone praise Putin as a “humanitarian” to earn his release.

“Humanitarian wouldn’t be one of the first ten million words I’d think of to describe Vladimir Putin. He is anything but a humanitarian,” Cramer said when asked about Witkoff’s comments, which came in connection with the release of an American who had been held in a Russian prison.

Cramer noted Witkoff has a “different job” as a diplomat than he does as a senator, but the North Dakota senator minced no words in denouncing Putin, calling him “as bad as it gets.”

“Obviously the release of an American is a big deal,” he acknowledged.

“All I can say is if I’m ever captured by Vladimir Putin, I’d rather die in a prison in Russia than have somebody on my behalf refer to Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian,” he declared.

“That said, I don’t plan to go to Russia anytime soon,” he added.

Witkoff, President Trump’s top diplomatic negotiator, praised Putin as a “humanitarian” after the Russian leader announced the release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American who had been incarcerated in Russia for the past four years. The United States considered him wrongfully detained.

“You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian,” Witkoff told Putin last week at a meeting in St. Petersburg after Hubbard’s announced release. “You are a humanitarian also, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you again.”

Other Republicans have also criticized Witkoff’s comments.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) called it an “embarrassing and outrageous thing to say.”

“WTF, Steve? Look up the definition of ‘humanitarian.’ What an embarrassing and outrageous thing to say. You should go back to Ukraine and ask the families of the children Putin has kidnapped and murdered whether they agree your friend Putin is a ‘humanitarian,’” Tillis posted on the social platform X.