LOS ANGELES.–Signaling that he takes the new relationship with the Trump administration seriously, 72-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin told the FSB [successor to the KGB] that forces were at play in the European Union [EU] to undermine the new relationship with the United States. Putin sees 78-year-old President Donald Trump as a positive force for global cooperation, not seen over the last four years with 82-year-old former President Joe Biden. Putin welcomed the change in U.S.-Russian relations as the right step for Russia at a time of increased isolation by the EU. “I note that the first contacts with the new American administration inspire certain hopes. There is a reciprocal mood to work to restore intergovernmental ties and to gradually resolve the huge number of systemic and strategic problems that have built up in the world’s security architecture,” Putin told FSB delegates.
Putin’s statements should be heard loud-and-clear in Brussels where the same anti-Russian rhetoric rules current foreign relations with the Kremlin. Brussels hasn’t pivoted yet to the fact that the old, discredited Biden foreign policy is dead, replaced with Trump’s new policy of global cooperation, restoring decades of past diplomacy, détente and arms control. Putin said Trump’s approach to Russia was built on pragmatism and realism, saying Biden’s approach of “ideological clichés” was replaced by Trump practical approach to diplomacy. Putin knows that following Trump’s lead, Russian can restore its status in the G7 and G20 to once again becoming a positive force on the world stage. Brussels hasn’t caught up to the reality of Trump resetting U.S.-Russian relations. EU officials have taken 47-year-old Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s complaints too literally.
Zelensky complained that Trump kept him out of the loop while he negotiated peace with the Russian Federation. Asking for a seat at the table, Zelensky hoped to put more pressure on Putin to make more concessions, mainly on lost sovereign land, in any peace negotiation. But clearly Zelensky’s animosity toward Putin after three years of war is such that he can’t be logical or civil in any peace negotiations. Trump has made clear to 47-year-old French President Emmanuel Macron and 61-year-old U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer that everything possible is being done to maximize Ukraine’s position in any peace talks. Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference that he and the EU were kept by Trump out of the loop. Actually, much of the past talks are about restoring U.S-Russian relations, something inappropriate for Zelensky or the EU to attend the meetings.
When it comes to ending the Ukraine War, Trump has plowed ahead believing that Zelensky’s approach to continue the war was counterproductive for Ukraine. Trump pointed out that Zelensky should have never gone to war with the Kremlin because of its superior strength an armaments. Yet when Putin moved the Russian army into Ukraine Feb. 24, 2022, Putin offered to settle the conflict if Zelensky recognized Russian sovereignty over Crimea and accepted independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, both Russian enclaves in Donbas. “We understand that not everyone is happy with the resumption of Russian-American contacts. Some Western elites are still determined to maintain instability in the world and these forces will try to disrupt compromise the dialogue that has begun,” Putin said. But Putin has nothing to worry about with Trump at the helm.
EU officials, mainly isolated handling their own internal problems, are not up to speed on news developments on the world stage. Actually, Putin can expect as normal diplomatic relations are restored with the U.S., the EU will want to follow suit as well. EU officials had considerable clout over Biden but they have little over Trump. Trump has committed the U.S. to restore normal diplomatic relations with Russia to do, exactly as Putin says, to work of global peace, cooperation and security. Putin keeps hearing Starmer make sweeping statements about Ukraine security but he has zero clout in the EU or Washington. Starmer finds himelf the odd man out, after exiting the EU Jan. 31, 2020, having little to say about anything related to Ukraine. Putin has nothing to worry about as Trump forges a new U.S.-Russian partnership to end the Ukraine War and move on to other pressing global issues.
Trump wants to count on Russia as a global partner to deal with China, North Korea and Iran. If he gets economic sanctions dropped, including the Russian oil embargo, Russia can return to a new golden age of global cooperation at the G7 and G20, where Putin can partner with other nations to better economic development, peace and prosperity. “We need to be aware of this and use all possibilities when it comes to diplomacy and our intelligence services to disrupt such attempts,” Putin said, concerned that something would get in the way of Trump’s news foreign policy. Nothing can get in the way of Trump restoring normal U.S.-Russian relations and ending the destructive Ukraine War. Putin stands to benefit the most in any peace deal, knowing that all the economic sanctions would be lifted, giving the Russian economy the biggest boom in years.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
