President Vladimir Putin kept US President Donald Trump waiting over an hour before their scheduled phone call on Tuesday. The call was set for 4 PM Russian time to discuss securing a ceasefire in the Ukraine-Russia war. Putin’s delay was reportedly due to his presence at an event in Moscow where he spoke to industrialists and businessmen.
Footage shows Putin smirking and shrugging when reminded that he was running late for the call. He arrived at the Kremlin an hour late, around 5 PM. The two leaders held a one-and-a-half-hour phone call.
The White House stated that the talks were “going well.” However, Putin refused to agree to the 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that Trump had requested. He only committed to limiting attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Putin delays Trump in a symbolic move
On social media, many perceived Putin making Trump wait as a deliberate power play and humiliation for the US president. One user wrote, “Making leaders wait is an old Putin power play. But this is pretty brutal.”
Another commented, “While speaking to a room full of oligarchs, the host turns to him and asks if he will be late.
Putin shrugs. He completely humiliated Donald Trump.”
Some highlighted the strategic aspects. “Putin played Trump like a fiddle! Putin has no intention of a real ceasefire.
He agrees to a limit on energy targets but nothing more. He also wants no military help given to Ukraine, no intelligence help, or for Ukraine to join NATO,” another user noted. This incident underscores international diplomacy’s complex and often tense nature, where power dynamics and symbolic gestures can significantly impact political negotiations.
Image Credits: Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash
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