Putin went to church to pray for Trump after assassination try, top US envoy Steve Witkoff reveals

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a church to pray for Donald Trump following the assassination try on the US president, in accordance to Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff. Speaking on Tucker Carlson’s podcast, Witkoff shared insights into the growing relationship between the 2 leaders and the potential for renewed diplomatic engagement between the United States and Russia.
During the dialog, Witkoff revealed that Putin held a non-public prayer after the assassination try on Trump throughout the Butler rally within the lead up to the US elections. “He went to his local church and met with his priest and prayed for the president,” Witkoff stated. “Not because he (Trump) could become the President of the United States, but because he had a friendship with him.”
Witkoff additional disclosed that in one among his visits to Moscow, Putin had commissioned a portrait of Trump from a number one Russian artist and requested him to personally ship it to the president. “It was such a gracious moment,” he recalled, noting that Trump was visibly touched by the gesture.
On Trump’s diplomatic method towards Putin
Reflecting on the broader US-Russia relationship, Witkoff talked about Trump’s diplomatic method towards Moscow. “President Trump sent a signal to President Putin that he wanted to resume his relationship together and that they were going to be two great leaders figuring out this conflict,” he stated, referring to the continued struggle in Ukraine.
“I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy. That is a complicated situation, that war and all the ingredients that led up to it. You know, it’s never just one person,” Witkoff advised Carlson.

According to Witkoff, Trump had tasked him with delivering a message of engagement to Putin. “We were here to begin a real discussion, a productive discussion about how to end this conflict,” he defined. Putin, he stated, responded positively, sending “all kinds of signals” again to Trump that he was open to such negotiations.
Witkoff additionally touched on what he described as efforts to forestall Americans from listening to various views on the Russia-Ukraine battle. “How would we settle a conflict with someone who is the head of a major nuclear power unless we establish trust and good feelings with one another?” he requested.
Carlson, who has beforehand travelled to Russia to interview Putin, agreed, stating that censorship had performed a job in shaping public notion. “Everything you’ve just said about Russia, Ukraine—any fair person will acknowledge that’s true. But why the effort to prevent Americans from hearing the other side?” Carlson questioned.
Witkoff instructed that Trump’s method to international coverage was basically completely different from his predecessors, arguing that Trump’s management had inspired extra engagement from adversaries. “The Russians want to engage with us once again because we have a real decision maker,” he stated. “We’ve got real leadership, and the world needed leadership.”