Donald Trump has hung a picture of himself with Russian president Vladimir Putin in the White House, a move that will likely raise eyebrows among U.S. allies.
The photo of the two world leaders was taken during their summit in Alaska last August, and has been placed above a picture of Trump with one of his grandchildren.
The framed image has been placed in a vestibule area connecting the West Wing to the residence, according to Elizabeth Landers, White House correspondent for PBS News, who shared a photo of it on X.
The photo was praised by Kirill Dmitriev, one of Russia’s key negotiators who has met several times with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
“Good,” Dmitriev said. “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
But others were less impressed with the latest addition to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
U.S. senator for Virginia Mark Warner posted about the placement of the two photos: “Putting Putin above the American people and his own family. Almost a little too on the nose.”
Estonian politician Marko Mihkelson expressed fears about what the apparent celebration of Trump’s relationship with Putin meant for the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“If it is true that the U.S. president considers it appropriate to hang on the White House wall a photo of the greatest war criminal of the 21st century, then a just and sustainable peace will have to wait. Unfortunately,” he wrote.
The White House renovated the Palm Room last month, the latest in a series of major changes Trump has made since he returned to office last year.
Trump and Putin met in Anchorage on August 15 last year, the first encounter between U.S. and Russian leaders since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago.
The red carpet was rolled out for Putin, while his forces continued fighting their war of attrition in eastern Ukraine.
The meeting was hailed as a victory in Moscow, with the two leaders enthusiastically sharing two handshakes, and Putin was greeted as if he were a close ally.
In what appeared to be an unscripted moment, Putin decided to travel in Trump’s armoured limousine known as “The Beast”, rather than taking his own presidential car. In footage of them leaving the airbase, Putin could be seen sitting in the backseat and laughing.
The Kremlin said earlier this week that the meeting would be included in updated versions of history textbooks in school, beginning in the next academic year, The Times reported.
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