Putin's evasive reply on alleged Trump calls fuels speculation of secret diplomatic ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent evasion of questions about rumored phone calls with former U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited curiosity about potential hidden exchanges between the two leaders.

Asked by journalist Pavel Zarubin on Russian state television about alleged private conversations, Putin dodged a direct answer, instead alluding to ongoing speculations.

“As for contacts with Mr. Trump, this is something that has been constantly discussed for more than one year,” Putin remarked, quickly redirecting to the Mueller investigation, which he claimed disproved any connections between Trump and Russia.

“Trump himself was once accused of being somehow connected with Russia. Then, as a result of an investigation in the U.S. itself, everyone came to the conclusion-including in Congress, I think-that this was complete nonsense. That nothing like this had ever happened. It had not happened before, and it does not happen now,” Putin asserted, without addressing whether any recent communications with Trump had occurred.

The interview stirred further interest when Zarubin asked if Trump had ever threatened him, referring to a recent claim by Trump himself that he had warned Putin against invading Ukraine. Trump told The Wall Street Journal he’d said, “Vladimir, if you go after Ukraine, I am going to hit you so hard, you’re not even going to believe it. I’m going to hit you right in the middle of fricking Moscow.” Putin responded, claiming no recollection of such a conversation, yet avoided confirming or denying contact with Trump post-2021.

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Political analysts note the Kremlin’s calculated ambiguity. Keir Giles, Senior Consulting Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, explained to Newsweek: “Putin will be acutely aware that confirming the fact of contact between [himself and] Trump after his presidential term ended on an unofficial basis would reflect badly on Russia’s candidate in the U.S. presidential election.” He added that Russia likely aims to avoid reinforcing any perception of Trump as a Russian-favored candidate, saying, “They want their man in; there’s everything to play for.”

Trump has remained cryptic on the topic as well, recently telling Bloomberg editor-in-chief John Micklethwait at the Economic Club of Chicago, “If I did [speak with Putin], it’s a smart thing.”

The evasive comments by both Putin and Trump have only added to the intrigue, fueling ongoing debates on potential ties and their implications for U.S.-Russia relations.