Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke something in English to former U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, August 15, after they finally met in Anchorage, Alaska. It was something that had never been uttered before. The two presidents met in Alaska’s capital to talk about the battle between Russia and Ukraine. This war has gotten a lot of attention around the world and has affected millions of people through violence, sanctions, and political divisions.
There was a quick news conference after the debate that lasted only 12 minutes. At the press conference, both presidents largely maintained calm and polite. But toward the end of the meeting, Putin said something that clearly shocked Trump. Putin looked Trump in the eye and said in clear English, “Next time in Moscow.”
Everyone in the room was shocked by the comment. Trump stopped for a second to ponder over the surprise invitation before chuckling and saying, “That’s an interesting one; I’ll get some heat on that one.” But I could see it happening. The moment was little but significant. Putin, who doesn’t often speak English in public, used the language in front of the press to send a personal and symbolic message.
A lot of other people assumed that Putin’s invitation was planned, maybe to show the West a more diplomatic side of himself and see how open Trump was to talking about sensitive issues. Trump’s response didn’t say yes or no, but it also didn’t say no. His answer made it sound like he is at least open to the idea of coming to Moscow in the future, even though it would be very hard for him politically.
No U.S. president, past or current, has been to Russia since Barack Obama went to the G20 Summit in St. Petersburg in 2013. Because of the war in Ukraine and the current international sanctions, both fans and opponents of the Kremlin would find it quite inflammatory if the U.S. traveled to Russia in a high-profile way.
Before the meeting, reporters asked Trump if he thought he could help Russia and Ukraine get along. He didn’t act like he typically does when he’s full of himself. He gave an answer that was unexpectedly honest and useful instead. “Listen to me.” Trump replied, “I’ve talked to him about that,” referring to Putin. “I’ve talked to him a lot, but then I go home and see that a rocket hit a nursing home or an apartment building and people are dead in the streets.”
He answered, “I guess the answer to that is no, because I’ve already talked about it,” and his voice went a little softer. I want the war to end. Biden initiated the fighting, but I want it to stop. Like I did with the last five, I will be quite proud to conclude this conflict. But I guess the answer is no.
Trump’s comments on “Biden’s war” show that he doesn’t like how Joe Biden handles foreign ties, especially in Europe and the Middle East. Trump was still angry because it had been so hard to make peace. This makes it sound like he has attempted to alter Putin’s opinion before but hasn’t been able to.
When asked what it was like to talk to Putin, a foreign leader who is very polarizing, Trump was quite clear: “Economically severe.” It will be very horrible. Okay, I’m not doing this to help myself. He then remarked, “I want to focus on our country,” but “I’m doing my part to save a lot of lives.” Yes, very horrible.
These words made the problem seem even more significant. Trump, who isn’t known for being humble, said that getting engaged in the fight as a mediator would cost a lot of money and ruin his political career. He made it sound like he had to get engaged, though, which made him willing to cope with the backlash in order to make the world a better place.
The media has been quite interested in the meeting since then. Was Putin’s comment in English just a diplomatic flourish, or did he try to affect how people think? Was Trump’s readiness to go to Moscow real, or was it merely a way for him to seem better?
One thing is for sure: the finish of the press conference was not what most people thought it would be. What began as a routine meeting between ambassadors developed into an unexpected talk that could have major consequences for the next steps of both presidents. Putin’s “Next time in Moscow” is still not set in stone. It’s a small invitation that might transform how they talk about politics and maybe even how others around the world talk about the war in Ukraine.
