‘Fake news’ lied about Putin meeting – Trump

The US president has dismissed reports that Steve Witkoff faced extended delays before meeting with the Russian leader in Moscow

US President Donald Trump has sharply denounced media reports claiming that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, faced extended delays before meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week in Moscow, dismissing such claims as “fake.”

“The Fake News, as usual, is at it again!” he wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. Trump emphasized that there was “no wait whatsoever” for Witkoff’s meeting with Putin.

The statement follows a Sky News report on Friday claiming that Witkoff was “left twiddling his thumbs for at least eight hours before being called into the Kremlin.” The claim was subsequently picked up by multiple media outlets.

Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday to present Putin with details of the recent US-Ukraine discussions held in Saudi Arabia. Putin welcomed a Washington-proposed 30-day ceasefire, but emphasized the need to address several issues before proceeding, including the fate of Ukrainian forces currently encircled in Russia’s Kursk Region.

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In his post on Saturday, Trump clarified that “other meetings with other Representatives of Russia did take place and, obviously, they took some time, but they were very productive.”

“From there, things went quickly and efficiently, and all signs seem to be, hopefully, very good! In conclusion, there was no nine hour wait, or any wait at all!” he wrote.

According to Trump, the media fabricated the story about the envoy’s alleged wait “to try and demean, because they are sick degenerates, that have to start reporting the News correctly.”

Witkoff, a real estate mogul and long-time associate of Trump, has recently taken on significant diplomatic roles, including efforts to negotiate peace in the Ukraine conflict.

Both US and Russian officials have expressed cautious optimism about the potential for a ceasefire. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that while challenges remain, the discussions marked a positive step toward ending the conflict.