By ANDREW KORYBKO*
Vladimir Putin's praise of Donald Trump's approach to peace talks sends a message to all Russia supporters
Some of Russia's supporters, at home and abroad, have been skeptical of the Donald Trump's commitment to holding peace talks with Vladimir Putin, but he has just praised his colleague's approach, thus sending them a message. Putin was speaking in a meeting of the board of directors of the Federal Security Service (FSB) when he said that his first contacts with Donald Trump and his team “inspire certain hopes.” He also stated that the US now shares Russia’s desire to repair relations and work on solving major strategic problems in the world.
Vladimir Putin went on to say that “our partners demonstrate pragmatism and a realistic view of things, and have abandoned numerous stereotypes, so-called rules, and messianic and ideological clichés of their predecessors.” He then warned the FSB that “a part of the Western elites is still committed to maintaining instability in the world, and these forces will try to disrupt or jeopardize the recently resumed dialogue.”
He then charged them with “using all possibilities offered by diplomacy and special services to prevent such attempts.” His latest mission deserves more attention because of its significance. For starters, it suggests that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are indeed moving closer to a groundbreaking agreement that can be described as a “new to relax” between their countries.[1]
Moving on, the next point is that some Western elites may try to prevent this “new to relax”, as long as it is contrary to their interests. No one knows what forms this might take, but Vladimir Putin’s warning about how they might try to disrupt this process suggests provocations against Russia and/or Belarus, while his words about jeopardizing the dialogue could refer to leaks or lies. The FSB should in any case preemptively avoid such scenarios or have plans for what Russia should do if they materialize.
Third, the two previous points imply that Vladimir Putin prefers that his coreligionists publicly support what he is trying to achieve in the face of resistance from some Western elites, or at least that they do not discredit him by questioning his intentions or those of Donald Trump. In other words, the “politically correct” interpretation of recent events is that Russia and the US are sincerely working to solve their problems for the benefit of the world, and anything that questions this view will be frowned upon by the Kremlin.
The fourth point builds on the last, raising the possibility that a supporter who challenges the new “politically correct” interpretation of recent events may even be suspected of operating under the influence of the dissident Western elite. This could lead to the “cancellation” of foreigners and the investigation of nationals, depending on how their own dissident views are expressed. And finally, the last point is that Vladimir Putin wants all people to trust him as he tries to close the real “deal of the century.”
*Andrew Korybko holds a master's degree in International Relations from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Book author Hybrid Wars: From Color Revolutions to Coups (popular expression). [https://amzn.to/46lAD1d]
Translation: Fernando Lima das Neves.
Note
[1] Details were shared in the following five reviews:
January 3: “Creative energy diplomacy could lay the foundation for a grand Russian-American deal"
February 13: “Here's what's next after Putin and Trump just agreed to start peace talks"
February 14: “Why Russia could repair its ties with the West and how it could reshape its foreign policy? "
February 15: “Vance's Munich speech confirmed Putin's summer 2022 prediction of political change in Europe"
February 25: “Russia and US diplomatic choreography at UN shows commitment to 'New Détente'"
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