Steven Seagal, the Michigan-born martial artist best known for producing and starring in dozens of action movies since his Hollywood debut in the late 1980s, was given a Russian passport Friday during a meeting in Moscow with President Vladimir Putin.
Mr. Putin personally presented the 64-year-old action star with his new passport during a ceremony Friday at the Kremlin less than a month after he issued a presidential decree granting him Russian citizenship.
“You have many friends in this country and you have professional plans as well. Naturally, Russian citizenship and a Russian passport will make it easier for you to meet your friends and carry out your plans,” Mr. Putin said Friday, according to a translation published on the Kremlin’s website.
“I would like to congratulate you on this occasion and express the hope that this is yet another gesture, probably a small one, but still a gesture, and may indicate a gradual normalization of our interstate relations,” Mr. Putin added.
According to the Russian president, the two men determined previously that any decision to grant citizenship to Mr. Seagal should be “absolutely depoliticized.”
Mr. Seagal previously praised the former KGB official as one of the greatest leaders in the world, and earlier this month said he was “tremendously grateful” that Mr. Putin had granted him citizenship, notwithstanding relations between Moscow and Washington being at their iciest in decades as a result of disagreements over ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.
“I always felt that USA and Russia should be best friends and allies. Despite the unfortunate propaganda going on I remain fully committed to work tirelessly towards this end and I am tremendously grateful for this opportunity,” Mr. Seagal said when he was officially granted Russian citizenship earlier this month. “I have a tremendous amount of friends and family in Russia and former Soviet regions. I have huge respect and affection for Russia. As well as my own country.”
Mr. Seagal thanked Mr. Putin in Russian during Friday’s meeting, but otherwise had little to say, according to the Kremlin’s transcription.
“What about your professional plans? Are they working out?” Mr. Putin asked at one point.
“Everything is good,” Mr. Seagal responded. “We will talk later about the world, but for now I am just honored to be here, and I am so happy to see you again.”
In addition to Mr. Seagal, Mr. Putin has previously granted Russian citizenship to notable Americans including boxer Roy Jones Jr. and mixed martial artist Jeff Monson.
Mr. Seagal, a native of Lansing, Michigan, was also granted Serbian citizenship earlier this year following several visits there and a meeting with President Tomislav Nikolic.
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