Putin gifts portrait to Trump amid US-Russia tensions

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently gifted a portrait of Donald Trump to Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, during a visit to Moscow, further complicating the already intricate dynamics of US-Russia relations. Witkoff described the painting as 'beautiful' and noted that Trump was 'clearly touched' by the gesture, which coincides with ongoing ceasefire talks involving US and Russian officials. This gift comes in the wake of Trump publicly criticizing an existing portrait of himself displayed at the Colorado State Capitol, which he labeled as 'truly the worst.' The Colorado portrait, painted by Sarah Boardman and unveiled in 2019, faced controversy after Trump claimed it was 'purposefully distorted.' Interestingly, the timing of the gift aligns with renewed discussions on the Ukraine conflict, with Witkoff recalling that Putin had prayed for Trump following a 2020 assassination attempt. The Kremlin confirmed that only Putin could decide whether to disclose more details about the portrait.