Putin mentioned Russia's historical contributions to the founding of the United States to Trump!
Russia played a crucial role in the establishment of the United States.
According to TASS, Putin and Trump held a 90-minute phone call covering a wide range of topics—from space exploration to football—
Naturally, the conversation began with congratulations on the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, extending best wishes to Donald Trump and the American people, while also reminding everyone that Russia had played a significant role in the formation of the United States of America.
During the call, Putin highlighted two key historical moments:
1. During the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), Britain had requested Russian military intervention to suppress the rebellion in the North American colonies, but Empress Catherine II directly refused;
Russia led the formation of the Armed Neutrality League, establishing rules for neutral merchant ships’ freedom of navigation, thereby restricting Britain’s naval blockade powers; many European countries followed suit in joining.
This move opened up vital maritime supply routes for weapons and materials to North America, significantly weakening British military advantages from the sea.
Putin emphasized in the call that although Russia remained formally neutral, it objectively created essential external conditions for American independence.
2. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Britain covertly supported the Southern secessionist forces and planned to dispatch a fleet to intervene in dismembering the United States.
To counterbalance Britain, Russia sent its long-range fleet to ports in New York and San Francisco, creating a powerful military deterrent that forced Britain to abandon its plans for military intervention, thus preserving the territorial integrity of the United States and clearly aligning with President Lincoln’s Northern Federal government.
Putin’s intent is to reshape the historical narrative between Russia and the U.S., easing the current tense atmosphere.
Currently, the two countries are deeply antagonistic due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. By invoking over two centuries of friendly history, Putin aims to remind Trump that Russia and the U.S. are not inherently enemies and have long shared common interests, providing a historical foundation for bilateral de-escalation.
It seeks to undermine the Western stereotype of “Russia as an inherent threat to the United States.”
For years, Western media has emphasized U.S.-Russia confrontation. Putin leverages this founding history to underscore that Russia had, at two critical junctures, effectively “enabled” the United States—counterbalancing negative narratives.
The message signals potential cooperation: by highlighting shared history, Putin hopes to foster a more amicable dialogue climate and encourage Trump to engage Russia in negotiations with a pragmatic, non-confrontational approach.
Most American media interpreted this exchange as Putin’s “historical briefing,” with some Republican supporters acknowledging the historical basis for U.S.-Russia cooperation. In contrast, Democrats and anti-Russian politicians downplayed the significance of Imperial Russia’s historical role, arguing that Putin deliberately magnified past events while minimizing current disagreements over Ukraine, attempting to soften U.S. sanctions against Russia.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869832363308107/
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