EUvsDisinfo: On the horizon – summit (original title: Summit on the horizon)
The Kremlin is eagerly awaiting a potential summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. This time, however, the meeting is not expected to take place in Helsinki. Russia is reportedly considering Saudi Arabia or the UAE as possible locations. Senior Russian officials have already visited those countries to prepare the ground. As the potential summit approaches, Putin is doing his best to shower the US president with praise.
Putin called Trump “a very strong man” and even released a video congratulating him on his election victory - something he has never done in 25 years in power. Usually, Putin's message to future US presidents is a short public telegram, but this time he made an exception by releasing an entire video message in which he emphasizeshis supposed openness to “dialogue“.
More ultimatums
However, he is probably preparing to repeat some familiar ultimatums. We expect him to insist on the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from regions that Russia claims to have annexed (even though they do not actually have full military control over them). He will also likely insist that Ukraine abandon its NATO ambitions – ambitions that are enshrined in the Ukrainian constitution, and will likely demand the lifting of Western sanctions against Russia.
In addition, pro-Kremlin media outlets are emphasizing a specific narrative: that Zelensky was an “illegitimate“ leader. Putin recently declared it impossible to negotiate with Zelensky and said that “he has no right to sign anything“. Of course, if Zelenskiy is ready to negotiate, Putin has pledged to send “someone suitable” to lead the negotiations. But when it comes to signing a formal agreement, Putin insists that it is impossible for Zelenskiy to be a party to it.
The claim of “illegitimacy” is repeated
Putin even went so far as to say that because of his “illegitimacy”, Zelenskiy would not be able to lift his own banon talks with Russia from 2022 – something Zelensky decreed when he was - in Putin's words - a "legitimate" president.
Although repeating the word doesn't make it any more true, the whole "illegitimacy" narrative ultimately serves one purpose: to justify the lack of direct negotiations between Putin and Zelensky. Ukraine's constitution is quite clear: elections cannot be held during wartime and the president remains in office until a new one is elected. Zelensky recently confirmed that once the hot phase of the war is over and martial law is lifted, Ukraine will definitely hold democratic elections.
The old dream of parity
Moscow's attempts reflect a decades-old dream of restoring an image of parity with Washington, just like in the days of the Cold War, when the two nuclear superpowers decided global security. Now this is a blatant attempt to achieve a dialogue exclusively between the US and Russia, through the head of Ukraine.
Other news...
Meanwhile, Russian propagandists are keeping a close eye on what is happening on the other side of the Atlantic. Russian announcer Vladimir Solovyov gleefully commented, “It's great, isn't it? The Canadians and Mexicans thought everything was fine!“ in response to the recent events in North America. As for the measures to halt USAID's activities, Kremlin media outlets falsely claim that the organization has "overthrew 83 governments" around the world. Russian media outlets are now calling on the Kremlin to step in and create a Russian version of the aid program.
At the same time, pro-Kremlin media outlets are paying close attention to proposals that Kiev would guarantee supplies of rare earth elements - key elements used in electronics - in exchange for military aid from the United States. Seeing that many of these rare-earth minerals are located in regions that Russia has unfounded claims to and holds under temporary occupation, Russian propagandists are nervously hoping that these areas are not part of a possible American plan.