Putin Gives Award To Senior U.S. CIA Official

What was Putin’s motive behind this gesture?

New reports have surfaced, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an award to Trump’s envoy to hand over to a senior CIA official whose son died while fighting for Russia in the Ukraine-Russia war.

CBS News was the first outlet to break the story and shared that Putin handed over the ward to special envoy Steve Witkoff to be given to CIA official Juliane Gallina.

CBS News reported more on Putin’s gesture:

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff an award to pass along to a senior CIA official whose son was killed in Ukraine while fighting alongside Russian forces, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The award, the Order of Lenin, was meant to be handed off to Juliane Gallina, whose 21-year-old son, Michael Gloss, was killed in 2024.

Gallina is currently serving at the CIA as deputy director for digital innovation. It could not be immediately determined what was done with the award.

Multiple sources told CBS News that Putin gave Witkoff the award during his trip to Russia this week, which a Russian official said the U.S. initiated, to discuss ending the Ukraine war.

The gesture by Putin, known for mind games and attempts to expose adversaries’ points of weakness, was likely meant to raise unhelpful questions and highlight that a CIA official’s son fought for Russia in the war.

Putin gave Trump envoy Witkoff the ‘Order of LENIN’ — CBS

Soviet Union’s HIGHEST civilian decoration

Award for SENIOR CIA official Juliane Gallina

Her 21-year old son DIED fighting ALONGSIDE Russian forces in Ukraine

Earlier this year, Putin gave Trump a personal portrait pic.twitter.com/u2SWScqIaC

— RT (@RT_com) August 8, 2025

The move by Putin comes as President Trump is set to meet Putin in Hungary.

🔴 Hungary could play host to a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump to settle the war in Ukraine.

Read more ⬇️https://t.co/eEqLr1H3ja pic.twitter.com/oNpjRvb48i

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 8, 2025

NBC News had more details on the potential meet-up:

A meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is tentatively scheduled for the end of next week, a senior White House official told NBC News on Friday.

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The location is still being discussed, this official said, but possibilities include the United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Switzerland and Rome.

Further details and logistics of the meeting are still unclear and remain very fluid, including whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be involved.

The White House official said the Russians have provided a list of demands for a potential ceasefire, and the U.S. is now trying to get buy-in from Ukrainians and European allies.

Zelenskyy and Ukrainian officials have long said they would not concede any territory that Russia illegally annexed.