Russian President Vladimir Putin has affirmed that Moscow remains open to negotiations with Western leaders, rejecting claims that he avoids talking with them. Speaking at a press conference during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Putin emphasized that Moscow never shuns contacts and is willing to renew relations if approached. This statement comes in response to accusations of isolation following the heightened tensions over the Ukraine conflict.
While some Western leaders have expressed a desire to engage with Russia, others have maintained a distance. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have taken different approaches, with Erdogan attending the BRICS Summit. The issue of contact with Putin has also surfaced in the US presidential campaign, with allegations of private phone calls between Putin and former President Donald Trump.
Putin dismissed claims of collusion with Trump and recalled a threat Trump supposedly made regarding the Ukraine conflict. These events are part of the broader narrative surrounding Russia’s role in US politics, known as ‘Russiagate’.