Russian President Vladimir Putin bragged about the decline of America under Trump. (Photo: Getty)
Donald Trump may or may not be Vladimir Putin’s puppet, but he’s dancing to the Russian President’s tune. The hard-line Kremlin boss bragged about the decline of America under Trump and the resurgence of Russian influence around the world.
Putin particularly bragged about growing relationships in Asia and the Middle East, where America, under previous presidents, held the upper hand.
The Kremlin boss’s remarks came during his annual foreign policy speech today in Moscow. Trump was clearly his foil. He referenced Trump’s disruptive influence around the world as part of his “America First” campaign pledge.
“Building up tension and hysteria is not our way . . . We are not creating problems for anyone,” Putin asserted. “I hope we can build dialogue.”
The overarching theme of Putin’s remarks at the annual Valdai Forum was the the decline of the United States around the world. He blamed most global ills on this country and said Trump had created “opportunities” for Russia and its allies.
He portrayed Trump as a mistake-prone leader. “Empires often think they can make some little mistakes . . . because they’re so powerful,” he said. “But when the number of these mistakes keeps growing, it reaches a level they cannot sustain.” he said.
“A country can get the sense from impunity that you can do anything,” he continued. “This is the result of the monopoly from a unipolar world . . . Luckily this monopoly is disappearing.
America, he said, “is almost done.”
Putin’s view of the United States is in sharp contrast to Trump and Republican claims that America is more respected than ever around the world.
During a speech before the United Nations General Assembly, Trump drew laughter when he bragged about the accomplishments of his administration.
“In less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country… So true,” he proclaimed, igniting a room full of titters.
“I didn’t expect that reaction but that’s okay,” said the clearly chagrined president.
Putin also addressed the apparent torture and murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, claiming the United States bears “some of the responsibility” for what happened to him. He said the murder would have no effect on Saudi-Russian relations.
“In truth, we do not know what happened. So why should we take any steps that could harm our relations with Saudi Arabia?” he said, echoing one of Trump’s views.