Russian President Vladimir Putin presented a memorable portrait of US President Donald Trump to his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, when they had a get-together in Moscow, according to what the Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said on a Monday. This whole thing came out when Witkoff was chatting with Tucker Carlson, who used to be on Fox News. Witkoff mentioned that Trump was “clearly touched” by the painting, saying it was “beautiful.”
Now, this little art exchange is getting people talking about what Vladimir Putin feels about Trump. It’s exciting because Trump’s been trying to smooth things over between Russia and Ukraine. Some folks who are friends with the U.S. are worried about what deals Trump might make with Putin if they talk one-on-one.
Also, Witkoff said that Putin said he prayed for Donald Trump after someone tried to harm him in 2024. He called him a “friend,” which is pretty strong language when talking about world leaders.
Witkoff’s comments have stirred things up in Russia. Places like RT and TASS, which the government runs, talked about how the ambassador described Putin’s feelings for Trump. They said it showed that they had a “productive” relationship. Some in Russia thought the painting was a sign that Putin liked Trump’s way of leading more than he liked Biden’s or Obama’s.
But not everyone in Russia is convinced. There are some folks, like opposition members and people who don’t work for the government, who think it’s a bit fishy.
However, Vladimir Putin has a history of giving unique gifts to U.S. presidents. In 2018, he gave Donald Trump a soccer ball. The Secret Service checked it out because they thought it might have a microphone hidden inside. Then, in 2021, he gave Biden a fancy lacquer writing box with a pen that was worth $12,000.
This gift-giving isn’t anything new. It goes way back to the time when the U.S. and Russia weren’t getting along so well during the Cold War.
Living through the Cold War, practicing bomb drills in school in case Russia attacked us, I never imagined that America would be a country that Greenland needed protection from.#TrumpIsUnfitForOffice #ElbowsUp #TrumpisaNationalDisgrace #TrumpIsARussianAsset #TheTurdReich pic.twitter.com/T3AIfR1p8l
— LA Blue Dot in GA 🌊💔 (@namwella1961) March 24, 2025
Back then, some Soviet kids gave the U.S. ambassador an incredible carving of the Great Seal, but it turned out it had a secret spy gadget inside. So now, people are wondering if that portrait of Trump has been checked for anything like that. The White House hasn’t said anything about it yet.
The timing of the portrait gift being revealed is quite interesting, as it lines up with the current Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks. On Sunday, Trump mentioned that the discussions had moved on to the point of “dividing up certain assets,” including land and power plants. He also said that he’s planning to talk directly with Putin on Tuesday.
These talks have got people around the world looking on with a mix of feelings. Some European bigshots are a bit nervous that Trump might push Ukraine into giving up some of its land, which is something Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said “no” to.
Donald Trump’s fight with Zelensky in the White House shows how the US treats Ukraine as a colony.
Trump demands control of Ukraine’s rare earths and critical minerals, to weaken China, re-industrialize, & build US tech.
Trump wants to be paid $350 billion: twice Ukraine’s GDP. pic.twitter.com/15Wzm2jols
— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) March 1, 2025
On the flip side, Russian news sources are playing it up as a chance for a “reset” between the U.S. and Russia.
This situation has made some of our allies in NATO a bit anxious, too. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have expressed their concerns that if Trump starts making deals that are too friendly with Russia, it could mean the U.S. isn’t as committed to keeping Europe safe as it has been.
And let’s not forget, per Newsweek, Zelensky told reporter that he would like more info on what Trump and Putin are talking about behind closed doors. “We need to understand what the conversation is about. What are the details? And hopefully, we will be fully informed, and our partners will discuss everything with us.”
With Trump set to meet with Putin soon, nobody’s sure what’s going to happen next in the world of global politics.
