- Sean Penn reflected on his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2001 at the Moscow Film Festival, following the premiere of his film The Pledge.
- Penn, along with Jack Nicholson, dined with Putin, recalling that they discussed fatherhood, and Penn initially felt a sense of trust, later admitting he was 'conned'.
- He noted that Putin 'clearly speaks and understands more English than he lets on', attributing it to his KGB background.
- Penn has become a prominent supporter of Ukraine and an outspoken critic of Putin since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
- As a result of his support for Ukraine, Sean Penn has been permanently banned from entering Russia.
IN FULL
