Not in service, and friendship
Vladimir Putin and George Bush Jr.
Photo: Vladimir Rodionov / RIA Novosti / Reuters
The presidential candidate U.S. Republican Donald trump, somewhat changed its rhetoric after allegations of links with Moscow, found it necessary to clarify that he was not familiar with Vladimir Putin. With the Russian President he is not bound by any relations, said trump. A “Tape.<url>” decided to recall one of the world’s politicians are actually connected and have close trusting relationship with Putin. And who the Russian President called friend.
With an English accent vodka
21 November 2000, the Moscow restaurant “Boozer” took not the usual guests. One drank weak beer, the other vodka. On a wooden table adorned with white mushrooms, herring, potatoes, dairy pig and goose with apples. So informal, we spent the evening Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Tony Blair. The feast lasted until the morning.
Blair became the first Western politician, with whom Putin has managed to establish almost a friendly relationship. They addressed each other by name and “you”, went to the theatre together, we went to visit and even went down into the bunker under the residence of the British Prime Minister. In short, readily demonstrated, that the friendship service helps.
It didn’t last long — as long as Britain did not take part in military operations in Iraq and refused to extradite the fugitive oligarch Boris Berezovsky and one of the former leaders of the Chechen insurgents Akhmed Zakayev. Came the end of good relations not only between politicians but also between States.
In November 2001, Vladimir Putin (in black business suit) and George Bush (in a simple windbreaker and black pants) after Breakfast, morning walking and talking one-on-one on a ranch Prairie Chapel went to high school in Crawford. Smiling to each other, the policy explained to the American teenagers that their personal friendship and contribution to the development of Russian-American relations will survive the term of their presidency. Putin and Bush were fishing in the Atlantic ocean, rode the vintage cars (“Volga” and “Zaporozhets”). But good personal relations, as in the case of Tony Blair, have fallen victim to their work.
Bath, beer and a fire
“I go out and say, “Gerard, listen, we have to go urgently. We burn”. He said, “Well, now going to finish our beer and go”,” shared memories of Putin, talking about how in 2013, invited by the former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the bath. The German beer and drank from the burning hut managed to escape.
From the baths in the Moscow residence were only embers. But the friendship of politicians survived. And loyalty were supported by business connections.
Vladimir Putin and Gerhard Schroeder during a meeting with participants of the project “North stream” gas compressor station “Portovaya”, 2011
Photo: Alexander Mudrats / TASS
Its 70th anniversary in 2014, Schroeder said in St. Petersburg with Putin, and was criticized in the German press. A solemn reception was held in the Yusupov Palace. It was organized by Nord Stream AG created for the construction and operation of the pipeline “Nord stream” under the Baltic sea. Schroeder, leaving the post of Chancellor of Germany, moved to the post of the Chairman of the Committee of shareholders of the company. Therefore, former Chancellor of Germany commonly seen as a confirmation that the Russian leader knows how to be grateful.
He’s Italian. He’s hot
How Putin and former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi spend time together, legendary. Putin once brought Berlusconi to faint, tells one of them. He killed the deer with one shot and gave his heart to an Italian friend. He “turned pale and collapsed like a wall in Pompeii”.
Hunting is hunting, but fishing policy going often. For example, in 2015, immediately after the verdict, Berlusconi spent several months doing community service in a nursing home, he went to the residence of Putin in the Altai. A year later, did not hesitate to offer to rest in the Crimea.
Passionate Italian guy wrote for a friend songs, took on Villa in Sardinia and publicly stood up for him, explaining that the Russians were incredibly lucky with the President. Few European leaders were so vividly paints the virtues of Putin. And that, in turn, compares the temperamental Prime Minister with “southern sun”.
When, in September 2013, Berlusconi was sentenced to seven years in jail for relationship with underage prostitute (the prosecution subsequently withdrew), Putin strongly defended the other. “He is on trial because he lives with women. If he were gay it would be no finger touch,” argued Putin.
Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi during a walk along the promenade of Yalta, 2015
Photo: Dmitry Azarov / Kommersant
All is well with the Russian leader and another former Prime Minister of Italy Romano Prodi. “In Italy, I have and he’s always had friendly relations with Berlusconi, with whom he is in constant conflict in the political arena,” — said Putin.
With Parisian charm
In October 2015, on the meeting with students of MGIMO, the former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy with his usual artistry promised that there will always be a sincere friend of the Russians. “Old friend, Nicolas,” he described his Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, speaking about the upcoming informal dinner politicians. Indeed, Putin and Sarkozy to “you” (“I am very glad to see you, Nicolas). And those with whom he so publicly communicates quite a bit.
However, Sarkozy’s storm. The Frenchman can not decide, friend or friend. “I will never shake his hand,” threatened Sarkozy during his election campaign in 2007. And fiercely criticized Putin. But then has considerably softened the rhetoric.
In the spring of 2016, he doubted: “First of all, I don’t know if I can consider his friend Vladimir Putin. I wouldn’t call him that. I just think that Europe and Russia must work together.” But in the summer he again swore friendship. However, clarified that it is all about Russia.
With former Prime Minister of France Francois Fillon, Putin was also on “you”. Gradually their diplomatic conversations went beyond the established Protocol of the frame. And moved, for example, a pool table, as it was in 2008, in his residence in Sochi. Now Fillon opposes anti-Russian sanctions and accuses Europe that is completely dependent on the United States, which put her in a “crusade” against Russia.
“As you know, Putin during his tenure as Prime Minister had closely interacted with Fillon, and they’re still ordinary human, personal contacts,” — said the press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov.
Vladimir Putin and Nicolas Sarkozy during an informal dinner on the eve of the opening of the St. Petersburg international economic forum, 2016
Photo: Mikhail Klimentyev / RIA Novosti
Not friends, but “you”
“You” Vladimir Putin appealed to another one (also a former European colleague, the President of Finland Tarja Halonen. “They say that many Finns would like to purchase property in Russia. Can you show an example and she buying something?” — I said Putin at his suburban residence in Novo-Ogaryovo in 2012. The President of Finland replied in Russian: “Agreed.”
As for active politicians, it is definitely a good friend and a reliable partner Putin calls only one — the President of China XI Jinping. Public leaders address each other only as “dear friend.”
With neighbors more difficult. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko likes to have a rest in Sochi in the neighborhood of the residence of Putin, is playing him in hockey and Alpine skiing. But hardly anyone will say that Putin and Lukashenka’s close friends. The Russian head of “pokes” and the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, what was confessed. “Sometimes, as in “you” go. So it’s a natural process of joint work”, — he admitted in an interview. But in this case, such familiarity is not a sign of intimacy.
If to speak about private visits to Putin, there is a special place former U.S. Secretary of state — a politician with a world name — Henry Kissinger. According to Dmitry Peskov, “Putin and Kissinger have long-standing relations, they constantly communicate, use the opportunity to talk.” Their dialogue he calls friendly.
The President of Russia actually maintains good and constructive relations with many political leaders, but in the first place puts the interests of the state, explains Sands.
