Trump's Russian delusion is complete. He sees Putin as a peacemaker
We know that Donald Trump has long had a soft spot for Vladimir Putin. But now it's almost as if he's given him a spot in his administration.
The US president has said that Russia's Putin on the weekend had phoned to offer himself as a new peace mediator in the war between Israel and Iran: 'We had a long talk about it,' Trump told the American news network ABC. 'I would be open to it. He [Putin] is ready.'
Trump himself has proved unable to negotiate an end to any of the conflicts he'd promised to resolve. So perhaps it's a good idea to let Putin try?
French President Emmanuel Macron doesn't think so. 'I do not think that Russia, which is today engaged in a high-intensity conflict and has decided not to respect the United Nations charter for several years now, could be in any way a mediator,' he said.
Fair point. And Putin has a favourite in the fight. Moscow is the most important foreign sponsor of Iran's ayatollah regime. Appointing Putin mediator would be like allowing a football team's coach to referee his own team's match.
Russia has supplied Iran with air defence systems and weapons for many years. Iran has returned the favour by giving Russia thousands of drones for its war against Ukraine and even built a drone factory in Russia for Putin.
Loading
'Putin has a keen interest in perpetuating the Iranian regime,' points out Peter Tesch, former Australian ambassador to Moscow.
So, by attacking Iran now, 'Israel is posing a serious challenge to Russia's strategic interest in the country with which Russia recently signed a 20-year strategic agreement'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Age
13 minutes ago
- The Age
Iran anchor was live on TV when the bombs hit. She fled as dust and debris fell
'The world is watching: targeting Iran's news agency #IRIB's office during live broadcast is a wicked act of war crime,' Baqaei wrote on X. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the attack on the Iranian state broadcaster was the 'height of cowardice and a sign of desperation'. Videos circulating on social media show that the IRINN building, known as 'the glass building,' was still burning. There has been no official report on casualties from the incident. An anchor said on air that a few colleagues had been injured, but that their families should not be worried. Hassan Abedini, deputy director of Iran's state broadcaster, said some employees were injured in the Israeli strike, without specifying a number, the New York Times reported. Elham Abedini, another Iranian state television anchor, captured the wreckage in an Instagram livestream. Her video showed chaos as people ran and shouted amid debris. 'They are in the glass building; they are all there,' she can be heard telling a guard in uniform, referring to the channel's employees. The network said its live programs had been transferred to another studio, which resembles that of radio studios. An hour earlier, the Israeli military had issued an evacuation warning affecting up to 330,000 people in a part of central Tehran that includes the country's state TV and police headquarters, as well as three large hospitals. The IDF has issued similar evacuation warnings for civilians in parts of Gaza and Lebanon ahead of strikes. The warning came on the fourth day of the conflict, when the Israeli military claimed it had achieved air superiority above the Iranian capital and could fly over the city without facing major threats. Iran, meanwhile, announced it had launched some 100 missiles and vowed further retaliation for sweeping attacks on its military and nuclear infrastructure that have killed at least 224 people in the country since Friday. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 injured, Israeli officials said, after Iran launched more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones. On Moday, the White House announced that US President Donald Trump was abruptly leaving the G7 – a day early – as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies. Earlier, he declared that Tehran should be evacuated 'immediately'. Iran, meanwhile, has asked its neighbours in the Middle East to pressure Trump into pushing Israel to sign an immediate ceasefire. In return, Tehran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations. Meanwhile, the US military has moved a large number of refueling aircraft to Europe to provide options to Trump, two U.S. officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The officials also said the US aircraft carrier Nimitz was heading to the Middle East, in what one of them said was a pre-planned deployment. The Nimitz can hold 5000 personnel and more than 60 aircraft, including fighter jets. Taken together, the deployments suggest the US is greatly strengthening its air power for potentially sustained operations as Iran and Israel trade blows in unprecedented open warfare. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a post on X late on Monday, said he had ordered the deployment of additional defensive capabilities to the Middle East, but did not offer specifics. 'Protecting U.S. forces is our top priority and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region,' Hegseth said in a post on social media platform X. AirNav systems, a flight tracking website, said more than 31 U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft – primarily KC-135s and KC-46s – left the US on Sunday, heading east. It said the US military flights had landed in Europe, including at Ramstein air base in Germany and airports in the United Kingdom, Estonia, and Greece. The US officials declined to comment on the number of aircraft. The Pentagon referred Reuters to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'The sudden eastward deployment of over two dozen US Air Force tankers is not business as usual. It's a clear signal of strategic readiness,' said Eric Schouten at Dyami Security Intelligence. 'Whether it's about supporting Israel, preparing for long-range operations, logistics is key, this move shows the US is positioning itself for rapid escalation if tensions with Iran spill over.' The Committee to Protect Journalists said it was 'appalled by Israel's bombing of Iran's state TV channel while live on air.' 'Israel's killing, with impunity, of almost 200 journalists in Gaza has emboldened it to target media elsewhere in the region,' Sara Qudah, the Middle East representative for CPJ, said in a statement. According to the U.N. and CPJ records, Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 173 journalists and media workers since October 2023.
Sky News AU
16 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Dow surges over 300 points, oil falls 1 per cent as Iran reportedly seeks talks to end Israel war
Stocks rallied on Monday on reports that Iran is seeking talk to end its war with Israel, easing fears that the conflict could spiral into a broader regional war. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 317 points, or 0.8%, to 42,515.09. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% to 6,033, while the Nasdaq rose 1.5% to 19,701.21. The Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks added 1.1%. Volatility fell sharply, with the VIX index dropping 8.93% to 18.96. Oil prices tumbled on hopes of de-escalation in the Middle East. US crude slid 1.7% to $71.77 a barrel, and Brent crude also fell 1.4% to $73.23. Gasoline and diesel were also down, while natural gas bucked the trend, rising 2.49% to $3.67. The market moves followed a report that Iran is signaling a willingness to step back from confrontation and resume nuclear talks. According to the Wall Street Journal, Iranian officials have been urgently sending messages through Arab intermediaries to both Israel and the US, stating that Tehran is open to talks — provided the Americans don't join the fighting. 'The Iranians know the US is supporting Israel in its defense, and they are sure the US is supporting Israel logistically,' one Arab official told the Journal. 'But they want guarantees the US won't join the attacks.' Separately on Monday, President Trump joined the leaders of G-7 countries and others at a summit in Canada. Trading partners including Japan, Canada and Mexico were angling to meet with Trump in the hopes of persuading him to lower at least some of his tariffs. Despite heavy Israeli airstrikes that have decimated much of Iran's air force leadership, analysts believe Tehran sees an opening for diplomacy. Messages delivered to Israel reportedly emphasized that keeping the conflict contained is in both countries' interests. Iranian officials have also hinted that if negotiations resume, the nuclear program and broader military posture could be up for discussion again — though there is no sign they are ready to make new concessions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue military operations until Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities are fully destroyed, rejecting any suggestion of a pause. But the potential for US involvement — and mounting international pressure — has made markets hopeful that backchannel diplomacy could prevent a wider war. President Trump, who has backed Israel's right to strike, told reporters Sunday: 'I think it's time for a deal, and we'll see what happens, but sometimes they have to fight it out.' The possibility of a diplomatic opening has also encouraged Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar to press the US to help broker a de-escalation, warning that a prolonged war could endanger key energy infrastructure in the region. For now, investors appear to be betting that the worst-case scenario — an uncontrollable regional conflict that would roil oil markets and global growth — can still be avoided. Originally published as Dow surges over 300 points, oil falls 1 per cent as Iran reportedly seeks talks to end Israel war
ABC News
17 minutes ago
- ABC News
Trump to leave G7 early prior to meeting Albanese
The US president will leave the G7 summit after tonight's leader's dinner, according to the White House, before a planned meeting tomorrow with Anthony Albanese. Mr Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt said he was returning to Washington "to attend to many important matters".
