By JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR
Published: | Updated:
A Cabinet minister today dismissed the US description of Vladimir Putin as a 'humanitarian'.
The term was used by Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff as he met the Russian president yesterday. Moscow had agreed to release an American who had been jailed for fighting for Ukraine.
But it was bluntly rejected by Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander in interviews this morning - as more airstrikes rained down on Kyiv.
Asked by LBC if the UK agreed with Mr Witkoff's characterisation, Mr Alexander said: 'No, we don't.
'We see him as somebody who illegally invaded Ukraine at the start of this conflict, who has been responsible for conduct by his government that included attempted assassinations on UK soil.
'So we simply do not recognise the description of Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff described Vladimir Putin as a 'humanitarian' as they met yesterday
Asked by LBC if the UK agreed with Mr Witkoff's characterisation, Douglas Alexander said: 'No, we don't.'
'In contrast, we are crystal clear that we stand foursquare behind Volodymyr Zelensky and the people of Ukraine in their battle for freedom.'
The return of US citizen Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher jailed in 2022, was confirmed amid the meeting between Mr Witkoff and Putin yesterday.
Moscow has also agreed in principle to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the US.
Mr Trump has suggested that the sides are 'maybe now the closest we've been' to ending the war.
However, there has been no public shift in Russia's demands and it has continued to launch missile strikes at Kyiv.
Mr Trump has been publicly berating Volodymyr Zelensky for hitting Russia's oil infrastructure, as diesel prices surge in the US as a result of the Iran war.
The US president has dropped planned sanctions and struck a deal with Putin to supply diesel, alarming Western allies.
Andy Burnham spoke with Finland's President Alexander Stubb last night, following a meeting between Mr Zelensky and Mr Witkoff in the Norwegian capital Oslo (pictured)
Andy Burnham spoke with Finland's President Alexander Stubb last night, following a meeting between Mr Zelensky and Mr Witkoff in the Norwegian capital Oslo.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said the PM and Mr Stubb both 'underlined how it was crucial to maintain the momentum on Ukraine to end Russia's unjustified attacks' in their phone call.
'Any peace had to include security guarantees for Ukraine, as well as ensuring war did not return to the European continent, the leaders agreed,' she added.