Trump and the Kremlin: Le Figaro stirs the pot on past ties
The French newspaper "Le Figaro" discusses Donald Trump's controversial statements regarding Ukraine and Russia. His criticisms of Zelensky and favourable comments about dialogue with Vladimir Putin have raised questions about the nature of Trump's relationship with Russia. "Le Figaro" suggests that Trump might have been considered by Russia as a "confidential contact."
According to "Le Figaro," US-Russian economic relations are not sufficiently strong to justify a swift rapprochement between Washington and Moscow. The newspaper speculates that normalisation of relations might have been an attempt to isolate China, although experts believe this is unlikely.
"There is suspicion, fuelled by revelations from several former KGB officers: could Donald Trump have been an agent or at least a 'target' of the Soviet intelligence services and their Russian successor, the FSB?" - the newspaper's journalists ponder.
Experts' doubts
Former KGB officer Alnur Musaev claims that in 1987 Trump was recruited by the KGB under the codename 'Krasnow'. However, expert Nathalie Vogel from the Institute of World Politics in Washington argues that Musaev did not have access to such information. "According to Vogel, all indications are that Trump was what the KGB/FSB calls a 'confidential contact'", writes "Le Figaro".
"For decades, Russian diplomats have been cultivating relationships with Trump, 'red' mobsters purchasing apartments in his properties and laundering money through Trump Organisation's casinos," argues "Le Figaro".
Despite numerous speculations, "Le Figaro" emphasises that "there is no evidence" that Trump was an agent of Russian services. However, the newspaper notes that for 40 years, Trump has hardly ever criticised Russia or Putin.
