Steven Seagal, who has long been known for his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is weighing in on the Ukrainian conflict.
On Monday, the "Underseige" star, who in 2017 was banned from Ukraine for five years after Putin gave the actor a Russian passport, told Fox News that he saw both countries as family.
"Most of us have friends and family in Russia & Ukraine," he said. "I look at both as one family and really believe it is an outside entity spending huge sums of money on propaganda to provoke the two countries to be at odds with each other."
The 69-year-old added: "My prayers are that both countries will come to a positive, peaceful resolution where we can live & thrive together in peace."
Seagal in the past has defended Putin's policies, including Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
In 2016, he was granted Russian citizenship and two years later was appointed by the Russian Foreign Ministry as a special envoy for humanitarian ties with the United States. The unpaid position would "facilitate relations between Russia and the United States in the humanitarian field, including cooperation in culture, arts, public and youth exchanges," according to the agency.
In 2021, Seagal formally was inducted into the Pro-Putin A Just Russia — Patriots — For Truth political party at a ceremony, according to the New York Post.
Months after he was granted Russian citizenship and presented with a passport by Putin, Seagal was banned from Ukraine for five years after being deemed a national security threat.
According to a letter by the Ukrainian security service – the letter was published by the news site Apostrophe – the decision is made when a person has "committed socially dangerous actions … that contradict the interests of maintaining Ukraine’s security," the Guardian noted.
Seagal's citizenship was intended to serve as a sign of improving relations between the US.. and Russia.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.