Andrei Kolesnikov is a political scientist and columnist for the Russian version of Novaya Gazetaone of the few media still critical of the Kremlin in Moscow. He lives and works in Russia.
For Vladimir Putin, who denies having spoken on the phone with Donald Trump two days after the latter's election, is the return to the White House of his “friend” good news?
Vladimir Putin wants to show that he does not depend on Donald Trump. This is why he denies the very existence of this telephone interview which allegedly took place on November 7. This is also why, during a major conference in Russia which was held the same day, he did not mention the president-elect during the first three hours of his speech. The head of the Kremlin has convinced himself that he must demonstrate his independence from any American influence.
To his audience in Russia, he wants to present himself as world tsar: Trump is important, but he is even more important. The rest, he doesn't care – a state of mind that he wants to portray. In the United States, the message is the same: “If you want to suggest a peace proposal to me in Ukraine, you can send it to me; I will receive you with pleasure; but it is I who decide when and how I should behave. »
For him, the election of Donald Trump is both good and bad news. On the one hand, he feels close to the elected president and his conservative and conspiratorial positions. But, on the other hand, Donald Trump's unpredictability poses a problem for him, because it can undermine Moscow's discourse and policy towards Washington. The Kremlin wants to maintain a Cold War climate. The hand extended by Donald Trump shakes up this tactic. No one uncorked the champagne in the Kremlin on November 5 [date du scrutin présidentiel américain]. And I very much doubt that Vladimir Putin will agree to meet Donald Trump soon after his inauguration on January 20 [2025]for a great public spectacle of reconciliation. Initially, the resumption of contacts will be done informally, behind the scenes. Donald Trump and his new administration could also quickly reduce aid to kyiv, but this remains uncertain and the effects difficult to measure.
During the BRICS summit, from October 22 to 24, in the Russian city of Kazan, Vladimir Putin presented himself as the leader of the new anti-Western world. Is this a way to escape from international isolation?
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Source: Lemonde