Witkoff tells Putin freed ex-US Marine’s family ‘incredibly indebted to you’ (VIDEO)

Robert Gilman, who had been jailed in Russia in 2022 for assaulting a police officer, was released last month for “humanitarian” reasons

Published 5 Sep, 2026 19:01 | Updated 5 Sep, 2026 20:12

US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, September 5, 2026.

US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff has conveyed deep gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin from the family of former US Marine Robert Gilman, who was released from jail in Russia last month.

The 32-year-old US national was detained in early 2022 after drunkenly assaulting a police officer while traveling through the country by train. He was freed in mid-August before his prison term expired, apparently for humanitarian reasons, after Trump interceded with his Russian counterpart.

Addressing Putin during talks at the Kremlin on Saturday, Witkoff stated that the “Gilman family is incredibly indebted to you and thanks you very very much for Bob Gilman being allowed to come home.”

Putin replied by saying that the man’s relatives should be thanking President Trump.

“They have thanked President Trump, but they thank you also, sir,” the senior US negotiator said.