Russian politicians, journalists, and experts reacted to the news about the first contact between the presidents of Russia and the US
The phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump which took place yesterday and lasted for an hour and a half, has become this week’s – and perhaps this month’s – top story. During their conversation, the two leaders discussed the exchange of prisoners on both sides, the resolution of the Ukraine conflict, and the possibility of a face-to-face meeting. Here’s what Russian politicians and experts are saying about the conversation between the two leaders.
Third President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev:
The presidents of Russia and the US have talked at last. This is very important in and of itself. The previous US administration cut off all high-level contacts in an attempt to punish and humiliate Russia. As a result, the world was balancing on the brink of the Apocalypse. How did we get there? It just so happened at some point that the US appointed itself the country-in-chief on our planet with the exclusive right to wage a hybrid war against our people, to mete out justice and grant pardons. It was a grave mistake, which nearly wiped humanity off the face of the earth. Nobody attempted something like that before senile Biden’s team. It’s true that we would hold shouting matches with America and sometimes practiced brinkmanship, but nobody slapped personal sanctions on Khrushchev during the Cuban Missile Crisis or on Brezhnev during the conflict in Afghanistan or severed contacts between the heads of state. On the contrary, the leaders kept lines of communication open, which helped resolve crises.
In our small, controversial but highly interdependent world there can be no chief country or planetary ruler. This is a lesson that must be learned by the arrogant American elites and the so-called deep state (US bureaucracy). They need to understand that contacts and consultations are much more valuable than chest-thumping and the desire to see the strategic defeat of a country like Russia. That would be a very dangerous thing anyway because it is impossible to bring us to our knees. The quicker our adversaries realize this, the better.
If they don’t, we’ll get back to where we were. The Doomsday Clock will keep on ticking towards midnight, and then we will surely “behold a pale horse, and the horseman’s name will be Death…”
Vice Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev:
My first impression is that, judging by its length, the conversation was meaningful and engaging, and laid the groundwork for further interactions which will be meaningful and important in their own way.
I believe we’re still far from any breakthroughs – too many issues have piled up, and Trump’s predecessors in the US, along with some politicians who remain in power in NATO countries, have deliberately and maliciously obstructed any progress.
Now all eyes are on how quickly a personal meeting can be arranged, which the presidents agreed upon, and how effectively it can be prepared. Let’s not forget that the negotiations are set to begin “immediately.”
In this situation, there is no room for error on both sides. I believe the two leaders will instruct their negotiating teams appropriately.
The mistakes will rest squarely on the shoulders of Ukrainian and European politicians who provoked the current conflict. They are the ones who will answer to their voters.
Former presidential candidate, journalist Ksenia Sobchak:
Trump, of course, is a totally unpredictable figure and a showman, but there are two key points:
1. He is the president of the US.
2. He has already taken several concrete steps toward Moscow and ending Russia’s Special Military Operation
When, under what US administration, did you last hear Putin talking about the US like that? And vice-versa?
I’m 100% sure that things won’t go entirely smoothly, that’s obvious. And there will certainly be no “territorial exchanges”; Putin will never back down, especially not in public. Refusing to submit to ultimatums is part of his image and character. We’ve seen this countless times.
Moreover, he knows what would happen to the people in the new regions, who already adapted to the change in leadership and citizenship, if the AFU were to return there.
But dialogue has begun, and I am very happy about that. May it all end as soon as possible.
Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club Andrey Bystritsky:
It’s crucial to not jump to conclusions. The gap between the current conversation and a meaningful agreement is large and complex. In this regard, nothing is more dangerous than naivety and superficial thinking, especially given the significant risks and challenges involved.
Academic Supervisor of the Institute of World Military Economy and Strategy at HSE University, Dmitry Trenin:
There is hope that the dialogue initiated by both sides might help Russia achieve the goals of the military operation. However, the ultimate outcome will also depend on the situation on the battlefield. A diplomatic resolution will only satisfy Moscow if it can be perceived as [Russia’s] victory and address what the Russian leadership considers the root causes of the conflict. Let’s not deceive ourselves – the policies of Western nations have already disappointed us many times in the past.
Europe still remains within the sphere of US interests, even though Trump’s team has started shifting its focus toward China, which is quite painful for Europeans. What we see today in US-Russia relations indicates that Trump is eager to resolve a conflict that distracts him from far more pressing matters; an end of the conflict would allow him to concentrate on the Asia-Pacific region – and specifically, on China.
Expert at the Valdai International Discussion Club Andrey Kortunov:
In 2018, a summit took place in Helsinki between the presidents, but it ultimately fell short of expectations: Rather than improving, US-Russia relations continued to deteriorate. The initial contact between the two leaders is necessary, but in itself, it is not enough for a productive dialogue. It seems that Moscow and Washington will send a signal to various bureaucratic structures – diplomats, military officials, intelligence agencies, and possibly even track two experts – to start addressing specific issues that could eventually shape the agenda for a top-level meeting, which will likely require several months of preparation.
The parties will need to seriously work on finding common ground, and while the Ukraine issue is the key point of concern, it is not the only one. This could also include discussions on the Iranian nuclear deal, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the situation in Northeast Asia – an area that the Pentagon has identified as a priority for the new administration.
The phone call between Putin and Trump on February 12, 2025 will remain in the history of global politics and diplomacy. While it may not be a breakthrough yet, it could be the first step towards one. I’m sure that officials in Kiev, Brussels, Paris, and London are reading Trump’s lengthy comments about his conversation with Putin with horror and disbelief. European capitals will hold urgent consultations on how to derail the emerging dialogue between Moscow and Washington. Such efforts will undoubtedly be made. The negotiations will be extremely challenging, and pressure will be exerted on Russia. However, a foundation has been laid.
Co-founder and editor of the Vatfor project Sergey Poletayev:
Here are two separate thoughts. First: Right now, Trump is negotiating with Putin behind the back of blockhead [Keith] Kellogg, the special envoy for Ukraine. While Kellogg has been pushing deadlines on Ukraine indefinitely, his boss has done all the work for him. Now, the blockhead will be informed about decisions that pertain to him. Europe and Ukraine have already been informed. Feel free to draw your own conclusions about the defeat of the globalists surrounding Trump.
Second thought: Our next decisive offensive can be expected in Kursk Region.
Russia’s fundamental demands regarding security in Europe, NATO expansion, and Ukraine’s status remain on the agenda of the negotiations, since the winners always set the terms. To break the unprecedented four-year silence between the leaders of the two largest nuclear powers, all Trump had to do was call Putin.
Talking about details, we cannot overlook the fact that Trump was surprised by the reporters’ questions about whether he views Ukraine as an equal participant in the [negotiations] process. The mantra “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” has been thoroughly discarded.
It brings to mind the infamous “peace formulas” that were drafted with the hope they’d eventually be presented to Moscow. They won’t be. All those plans collapsed alongside the reckless dreams that Ukrainians died and continue to die for; due to the arrogance and cynicism of their curators, Ukrainians find themselves at the same spot where they were in 2022.
As for personal meetings between the two leaders, they seem likely to take place both in Russia and the US. There are plenty of appropriate occasions this year, such as the 80th anniversary of WWII Victory or the 80th anniversary of the UN. The first meeting may also take place on neutral ground; Trump even mentioned Saudi Arabia. The Global South isn’t like Europe and Ukraine, which are silently watching the collapse of all the principles that their bloody theater relied on.
