US President Donald Trump has been gifted a new portrait from his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin – while decrying an existing painting of him as “truly the worst”. The new portrait has not been shown publicly. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described it as a “personal gift”, adding that only Putin himself had the right to disclose further details.
Meanwhile, Trump took to his Truth Social network to criticise an earlier picture of him that hangs in the Colorado State Capitol building. The US president has paid close attention to cultivating his image, and made headlines in January by unveiling an official portrait that was variously described by critics as serious or ominous.
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed receipt of the new work from Moscow, saying he had been asked to transport it back to Washington. He described the work as a painting – a “beautiful portrait” by a “leading Russian artist” – but gave no further critique. Trump was “clearly touched by it”, he added.
The gift was confirmed by Peskov, as American and Russian negotiators again sat down for talks in Saudi Arabia as part of Trump’s drive to end the war in Ukraine. The gift highlights the diplomatic thaw between the two nations after Trump returned to the White House in January.
In an interview, Witkoff – who met Putin 10 days ago – said the Russian president had been “gracious”. Putin told him, he added, that he had prayed for Trump after an assassination attempt against him last year.
Trump is yet to publicly comment of the image that was sent by Putin – but he left no doubt of the kind of portraiture he liked and disliked when delivering his views on the Colorado image. – 25 March.
BIG UP: – It just so happens that on the day Putin’s gift to Trump is unveiled to the world, that the President, Vice President, and Secretary of State, all gave Zelensky and Ukraine an ultimatum, accept the terms of the ceasefire, or else we’ll throw you to the big bad wolf. The Russian artist that made the painting, Nikas Safronov, really shouldn’t have.
The painting is a hyper ‘Big Up’, portraying DT as the ultimate American superhero. 47 is even holding a MAGA cap in his hand, and mirrors the Statue of Liberty, the biggest misrepresentation of an archetype in the history of the world. That actually sounds like something DT would say. Everything is always bigger, better, stronger, smarter, and tougher.
Putin is playing Trump like a fiddle, appealing to his worst narcissistic instinct, self-aggrandizement. Ask yourself, who wins if America collapses? Russia Russia Russia. If Trump allows Putin to keep Ukrainian territory taken by force, the entire world order implodes, reverting back to rewarding the aggressor. Trump wants Zelensky to not only hand over hundreds of billions worth of rare earth minerals and other natural resources, he also wants him to surrender Crimea, and possibly freeze the conflict as is.
That’s asking Ukrainians to give up 20% of their land. What does Putin give up in return? Not killing women and children? Not bombing Sunday markets? Not using a supersonic nuclear missile? It’s a perversion of justice on a truly epic scale, only to be matched by what is playing out in Gaza. Who is the common denominator? – The United States of America
SCREW LOOSE: – Donald Trump last night launched a scathing attack on Volodymyr Zelensky after he rejected the terms of a Ukraine peace deal.
The US President accused him of ‘prolonging the “killing field”’ by refusing to give up territory.
And Mr Trump warned the Ukrainian president he can ‘have peace, or he can fight for another three years before losing the whole country’. The White House tried to turn the screw yesterday, with vice president JD Vance telling Kyiv to surrender land or the US would walk away.
But Mr Zelensky is refusing to countenance any Russian claim to annexed Crimea, or hand over a fifth of the country to the Kremlin, as per the US-dictated deal put forward. Planned high-level talks in London were scuppered yesterday when two members of Mr Trump’s top team suddenly pulled out.
Peace envoy Steve Witkoff and secretary of state Marco Rubio were due to sit down with UK, European and Ukrainian officials, hosted by Foreign Secretary David Lam. But in a humiliating move, they withdrew at the 11th hour, sending Ukraine special envoy Keith Kellogg instead, as Kyiv refused to buckle to American ultimatums.
Instead, Mr Witkoff was said to be on his way to Moscow last night for a meeting with Vladimir Putin tomorrow. – By Mark Nicol and Jason Groves for DM – 24/4
Apr 23, 2025 11:23:13 pm
