Putin watches as White House drama shifts global dynamics
The dramatic events at the White House have drawn reactions from many world leaders. The BBC notes that there has been no such reaction from Vladimir Putin. Other Russian politicians have been much less restrained.
The dramatic events at the White House on Friday caught the attention of many world leaders. The BBC notes that one of the few leaders who did not comment on this matter was Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin is in no rush to react, as the Russian president can afford to watch developments unfold. Donald Trump predicted that the public spat with President Zelensky would "make great television."
The BBC has no doubt that Vladimir Putin enjoyed the "spectacle" of the President and Vice President of the USA publicly humiliating Volodymyr Zelensky in front of the whole world. Although Putin did not comment on this, Russian officials did.
Former President Dmitry Medvedev, currently the deputy head of Russia's security council, wrote on social media that President Zelensky "got a proper slap down in the Oval Office" and called on the USA to stop military aid to Ukraine. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, praised Trump and JD Vance for the "miracle of restraint" in not striking the Ukrainian president.
New US-Russia relations
As indicated by the BBC, while US-Ukraine relations are under threat, US-Russia relations may be improving. In recent weeks, Trump and Putin have spoken by phone, promising close cooperation. Talks about a possible summit have emerged, and lower-level US-Russia talks concerning a reset of relations and potential economic cooperation have already begun. Putin has proposed joint projects with Americans on rare earth minerals and aluminum production.
The breakdown in relations between Ukraine and the USA could have serious consequences for Kyiv, but positive ones for Moscow. If the flow of American weapons to Ukraine is halted, it will be more challenging for Ukrainians to defend themselves against Russian forces, despite solidarity and support from European leaders. Moscow has long considered that the war in Ukraine is proceeding in its favor, and the spat at the White House only reaffirmed this conviction.
