Witkoff delivered Russian medal from Putin to family of American who was killed fighting for Russia in 2024 [View all]

Source: CNN Politics

PUBLISHED Aug 20, 2025, 4:11 PM ET


US special envoy Steve Witkoff delivered a Russian medal to the grieving family of an American who was killed fighting for Russia in 2024, a senior administration official told CNN.

Earlier this month, when Russian president Vladimir Putin gave the medal – the Order of Courage – to Witkoff, some observers saw it as something of a diplomatic dig, given that the American who was killed, Michael Gloss, 21, was the son of a senior CIA official.

But that wasn’t how Witkoff saw it. The Order of Courage is a Russian Federation decoration typically given to Russian citizens to recognize selfless acts of courage and valor during times of emergency, disaster and war. For Witkoff, who lost a son in the opioid epidemic, losing a child is a traumatic experience that transcends geopolitics. And he thought it worthwhile to give the medal to Juliane Gallina, the CIA’s deputy director for digital innovation, and her husband, according to the official.

“She wept with her husband,” the senior administration official told CNN. For Witkoff, the moment “was not about who he fought for, but rather the memories of our children and the overarching message of ‘Let’s end this war,’” the official told CNN.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/20/politics/witkoff-delivered-medal-from-putin-family-american-killed