Dick Durbin calls the "humanitarian" label for Putin a disgrace
Dick DurbinDemocratic U.S. senator from Illinois
Durbin welcomes Hubbard's release, says he never should have been jailed, and calls describing Putin as a humanitarian a disgrace to the Ukrainian soldiers and civilians Putin has killed.
“Calling the war criminal Vladimir Putin a "humanitarian" is a disgrace to the tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians that Putin has killed as part of his brutal war.”
Original post
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Steve Witkoff calls Putin a "humanitarian" after Russia frees Stephen Hubbard; senators from both parties object
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian in St. Petersburg on October 21, 2026, after Russia released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American held for more than four years. Republican Sens. Thom Tillis, John Cornyn, Joni Ernst and Susan Collins and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin rejected the description. Asked whether he would describe Putin the same way, President Donald Trump said the label could be used for the purpose of freeing Hubbard, but that he would not say anything one way or the other.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Durbin's post on X welcoming Hubbard's release and criticizing the description of Putin as a humanitarian.
Reporting
About this source
The Associated Press report on Russia's release of Stephen Hubbard during Steve Witkoff's visit to St. Petersburg. It quotes Witkoff praising Vladimir Putin as a humanitarian, Trump on the release, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, and Hubbard's sister and lawyer.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Durbin opens the post by saying he is pleased Russia released Stephen Hubbard and that Hubbard never should have been jailed.
After the quotation
The Associated Press reports that Witkoff made the remark while thanking Putin for releasing Hubbard during talks in St. Petersburg about the war in Ukraine.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case looks at Witkoff calling Putin a humanitarian. Durbin calls that description a disgrace, so we labeled it a condemnation.
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- People and groups discussed
- Steve Witkoff
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- Dick Durbin calls the "humanitarian" label for Putin a disgrace
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The Dispute Index. "Dick Durbin calls the "humanitarian" label for Putin a disgrace". First published: 2026-10-26. Last updated: 2026-10-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/6847-durbin-welcomes-hubbard-s-release-says-he-never