Lyn Frans
Russian President Vladimir Putin has presented a distinctive gift to his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump—a custom-made portrait of himself.
The artwork, created by a prominent Russian artist, was given to Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, during his recent visit to Moscow. Witkoff subsequently delivered the portrait to Trump, who is said to have appreciated the gesture.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the gift but did not share any further details. This unexpected act of goodwill from Putin underscores the intricate relationship between the two leaders.
The gift was initially brought up by Witkoff during an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson last week. Witkoff described the portrait as “beautiful” and noted that Trump “was clearly touched” by the gesture.
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Witkoff met with Putin following discussions with Russian officials regarding efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Ceasefire negotiations were ongoing on Monday in Saudi Arabia, where U.S. representatives engaged with their Russian counterparts just a day after talks with Ukrainian negotiators.
In his interview with Carlson, Witkoff recounted Putin’s comments about Trump surviving an assassination attempt during his campaign last year, stating, “He was praying for his friend,” as quoted from the Russian leader.
Putin has a history of presenting gifts to previous U.S. presidents. In 2018, he gave then-President Trump a football, which the Secret Service inspected for listening devices before Trump handed it over to his son. This precaution was reminiscent of a Cold War-era incident when a carved Great Seal of the United States, gifted by Soviet schoolchildren in 1945, was later found to contain a hidden listening device.
The Russian President, gave Joe Biden a $12,000 lacquer writing box and pen in 2021 and presented Barack Obama with porcelain plates and espresso cups in 2013. Furthermore, in 2014, he reportedly gifted a portrait to former President George H.W. Bush for his 90th birthday.
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