Russia’s president Vladimir Putin is open to fixing ties with America—under one condition. Donald Trump has to win the 2024 US presidential election.
During a press conference at his BRICS summit, Putin bluntly said there’s no hope for better relations with the Biden administration. The war in Ukraine, the US’s support for Kyiv, and the West’s sanctions on Russia have turned any chance for reconciliation into a non-starter.
But Putin believes that with Trump back in power, things could be different. It’s no secret that Putin has enjoyed a smoother relationship with Trump in the past.
Trump, for his part, has been vocal about wanting to “end the war in Ukraine quickly” if he gets re-elected, and Putin seems to be taking it serious.
North Korean troops and Iran’s close ties
While Putin flirts with the idea of reconnecting with Trump’s America, Russia has been tightening its alliances with countries like North Korea and Iran. Things have been escalating fast on the military front.
Reports have confirmed that North Korea has already sent 3,000 troops to Russia, and by December, that number is expected to hit 10,000. These soldiers aren’t just sitting around. They’re being trained, and some might soon be on the ground in Ukraine.
It’s a wild turn of events, but it shows how far Russia is willing to go as it struggles to handle the pressures from the West. And let’s not forget about Iran. Its President Masoud Pezeshkian made it clear at the same BRICS summit that his country is all in on deepening ties with Russia.
For Iran, it’s a matter of survival. With both countries being squeezed by Western sanctions, this alliance is more than just talk. Russia’s economy, which has been battered by sanctions, needs partners like Iran more than ever.
The trade numbers between the two might look small (Iran only makes up about 1% of Russia’s total trade), but that’s not the point. It’s all about strategy, keeping their economies moving as the Western world locks them out.
Europe’s energy disaster and Russia’s play
Europe’s energy crisis has also become a flashpoint in Russia’s ongoing cold war with the West. Putin isn’t shy about calling out European leaders for what he sees as their self-inflicted wounds.
According to him, it’s Europe’s decision to cut off Russian energy supplies that’s wreaking havoc on their economies, not anything Russia did. He’s particularly focused on Germany, where industries are packing up and moving to the US because energy is cheaper there.
Putin sarcastically offered a simple solution: “Press a button, and the gas will flow.” Of course, Europe isn’t going to take him up on that anytime soon, but the offer’s on the table, and Putin knows they’re hurting.
And in case anyone still believes Russia’s to blame for global inflation, he’s brushed off the claims, pointing to Europe’s “global warming agenda” as one of the reasons they’re struggling with their energy supplies.
Trump’s return and Putin’s ‘nonsense’ defense
Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room — those rumors about Putin and Trump being in touch. It’s been speculated that the two have been on regular phone calls since Trump lost the 2020 election.
But when asked about this at the summit, Putin shut it down hard, calling the idea “nonsense.” He did, however, take a moment to acknowledge that when Trump says he wants to end the war in Ukraine, he believes the guy.
To Putin, Trump makes sense, and he has said before that he respects him. He is also standing by the former president’s recent statements when he said the two had a “very good relationship” and could “resolve” the war quickly.
That’s not all. Putin also dodged questions about the North Korean troop. Instead of addressing the reports head-on, he pointed the finger at the US, blaming them for escalating the conflict by backing the 2014 Ukrainian revolution that ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. So yeah, the guy knows how to pivot.
BRICS and the financial alternative (or lack thereof)
One thing that came out of the BRICS summit was a conversation about creating a financial system to rival SWIFT, the global messaging system used by banks.
But here’s the kicker. Putin just said that BRICS isn’t even doing that anytime soon. Instead, they’re sticking to using national currencies for trade between member states.
He added that Russia’s already got its own systems in place to handle payments with BRICS partners. For now, he says, that’s enough.
Putin explained that “relevant decisions” would be made when the time’s right. Meanwhile, earlier he also admitted that the dollar has remained resilient despite his efforts to dethrone it.
