Putin’s friend Stephen Seagal is outraged, saying he sees both sides of the war in Ukraine as “one family”: he accuses foreign propaganda of provoking an escalation
- The actor, who is a Russian special envoy, says he wants a “peaceful solution”
- The Russian citizen accused an “outsider” of spreading propaganda
- Seagal, 69, had previously expressed support for the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Stephen Seagal has sparked outrage after saying both sides in the war in Ukraine are “one family” and accused an “outsider” of spreading propaganda against the Russian invasion.
The 69-year-old actor, who is a friend of Vladimir Putin and received Russian citizenship in 2016, said he hoped for a “peaceful solution” after forces invaded Ukraine last week.
The Kremlin apologist, who was appointed special envoy for humanitarian relations with the United States in 2018, had previously backed Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and praised Putin as “one of the world’s great living leaders.”
Putin’s apologist Stephen Seagal has sparked outrage after saying both sides in the war in Ukraine are “one family”
The 69-year-old actor, who is a friend of Vladimir Putin and received Russian citizenship in 2016, said he hoped for a “peaceful solution”
The Under Siege star told Fox News: “Most of us have friends and family in Russia and Ukraine.
“I see both as one family and I really believe that this is an external entity that spends huge sums of money on propaganda to provoke both sides to feud with each other.
“Prayer prayers are for both sides to reach a positive, peaceful solution in which we can live and prosper together in peace.”
The comments sparked outrage online, with many criticizing the actor for repeating the Kremlin’s remarks and failing to condemn the Russian invasion.
Comments have sparked outrage online, with many criticizing the actor for repeating the Kremlin’s remarks and failing to condemn the Russian invasion.
Last year, the Hollywood star joined a pro-Kremlin party.
Seagal received a party membership card of the alliance named Fair Russia – Patriots – For the Truth, showed a video published by the party.
It was set up earlier last year when three left-wing parties, all of which backed Putin, merged into one.
Seagal proposed repression against businesses that harm the environment.
“Without being able to arrest people, when we just fine them, they probably make more money from producing things that pollute the environment,” he said in his welcome speech at a party event.
Hollywood star Steven Seagal received a party membership card of the alliance named Just Russia – Patriots – For Truth on Saturday, showed a video published by the party
The party controls a faction in the lower house of the Russian parliament and plans to run in parliamentary elections in September.
Seagal, a US-born martial artist, is best known for producing and starring in action films, while Putin, who granted him citizenship, is a fan of martial arts.
In 2018, Russia commissioned Seagal to improve humanitarian ties with the United States at a time when relations between the two countries have deteriorated to their worst level since the Cold War.
As a Russian envoy, Seagal visited Venezuela earlier last year and presented a samurai sword to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
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