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Trump-Putin Tango

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The Trump Putin Tango

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It’s the issue that’s gripping America

By Kenneth Tiven in Washington

US President-elect Donald Trump has zero experience in his adult life with management by consensus, which underpins most democratic societies. He is more at home as the Oligarch, the Owner, the Bestower. In this respect, he has not attempted to minimize his respect for Russian President Vladimir Putin as an authoritarian leader. Trump claimed Putin was a better leader than President Barack Obama, and I am sure he believes that. During the Cold War, the US and the Soviet Union engaged in a great deal of spying on each other. The U-2 spy plane the Russians shot down was a victory for them. The technical expertise involved in American navy submarines parking over undersea cables near Vladivostok in southern Siberia recording all naval communications between the pacific command and Moscow was unknown to the Russians. Similarly, undersea spying revealed how Russia quieted its Juliette class diesel submarines, a discovery that led to catching an American spying for Russia, James Walker.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]That the internet makes electronic spying a more obvious choice for effort is not a surprise. The surprise is that Trump believes he can cast enough doubt about the conclusion of the intelligence agencies to make the matter go away. That it has happened is believed conclusively proven by the intelligence agencies, who are not about to give away how they know it. Trump can believe if he wants that it made no difference in the election. But he is missing an essential point: all intelligence is information, but not all information is intelligence. If it hasn’t been analyzed, processed or exploited in some form, information is not intelligence. That’s the function of intelligence organisations — to task, collect, process, exploit and disseminate information that then becomes useful due to its timeliness, accuracy and relevancy to whatever operation it is in regards to (and is because of this process now deemed classified information). This is before considering if the information was hacked. The election is over and Trump is now about to be the leader of the free world. His behavior in this matter suggests to many people and leaders around the globe that he is ill-suited to deal with authoritarian leadership in nations that want to see the US slip into second-rate status in the global community.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Vlad Connection

Professional political leadership in the US and Russia makes it their business to know a great deal about each other and their people. Imagine the surprise in the Kremlin in the summer of 2015 when the Trump phenomenon began to play in the ultra-long American presidential process. One should not underplay the skill and depth of research in both capital cities when it comes to knowing things. Facts are more important than ideology. We should assume that within a day or two of asking about Trump,  Vladimir Putin would have a list of every visit Trump ever made to Russia or a former Soviet satellite nation and with whom he has business dealings. Incidentally, Trump is married to a Slovenian woman, Melania. Google might have supplied some facts they did not know about his financial problems and debts, his business having become largely as a licensor of his “rich and terrific” name for buildings.

Although many revelations and some revulsion with Trump’s tweets seemed to not make an impression on a block of American voters, the reaction at the Kremlin was probably different. This is not an ordinary American politician, Putin must have thought. And research supported the notion that he was that special kind of capitalist–not just arrogant but claiming to be rich when in truth he was carrying as much as a billion dollars in debt and not paying US taxes. Vladimir Putin, as with Trump, sees opportunity where most would see conflict. How much does he owe “us”, Putin might have asked, meaning Russian oligarchs always eager to launder money offshore.

We know in his own words and in his ghost-written books that Donald Trump has spent his adult life bullying his way to notoriety in New York City real estate circles as a man of taste, wisdom and business success. In a stream of self-delivered superlatives, he has generally managed to blame his bankruptcies on others or circumstances beyond his control. His long involvement with politicians in New York City had been agnostic. He’d demand tax abatements and zoning favours from whoever was in office. After the election of Barack Obama, Trump took an unexpected interest in the issue of Obama’s birth in Hawaii. In short order, he made himself head birther (in American politics, a birther is a believer that Obama was not born in that country, and therefore, ineligible for presidency). President Obama ridiculed him at a Washington dinner in 2013.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]But the failure of his over-reaching efforts in gambling casinos made it harder to do real estate deals. Few American banks would loan to him. Most of his borrowings, reported by Forbes magazine and others, have been with European banks and Russian oligarchs awash in dollars. What better way to avenge the Obama slights than to claim that job? Building on the animosities that underpinned the birther and Tea Party movements, Trump expanded his target to include immigrants, especially Mexicans. He bullied and ridiculed the other 16 Republican candidates to win the primaries with less than 50 percent of the vote. In the presidential race, he didn’t get 50 percent either. But in the seemingly arcane nature of 240-year-old US election rules, he still won the presidency.

The writer has been a journalist in American media for more than 50 years, including stints at The Washington Post, TV network news with NBC, ABC and CNN and was involved in the start up of Aaj Tak and continues to work with several Indian news channels[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India envoy Dinesh Trivedi meets PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman 

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman amid diplomatic tensions.

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India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after his meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.

According to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh, Trivedi sought PM Modi’s guidance on further strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh through a constructive and people-centric approach.

The meeting came a day after Trivedi held discussions with Tarique Rahman on matters of mutual interest and ways to advance ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Dinesh Trivedi Meets Bangladesh PM

During his meeting with Tarique Rahman on Monday, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the Bangladeshi administration and its people in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening India-Bangladesh relations with a people-centric approach.

The engagement took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Trivedi also shared his experience of serving in Dhaka over the previous two months.

Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request

The meeting assumed significance as Bangladesh has expressed hope that India will expedite the extradition process involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Dhaka also reiterated its request for India to return individuals it alleges were involved in the killing of Shahid Osman Hadi, a prominent figure associated with the July uprising who was shot on December 12, 2025.

Tarique Rahman stressed the need to create a suitable environment to take forward relations between Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and other officials attended the meeting.

India-Bangladesh Ties Amid Diplomatic Friction

The latest high-level engagements come amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries following a virtual press interaction by Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.

The event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia to mark the second anniversary of her ouster, prompted strong objections from Dhaka.

During the interaction, Hasina said she remained determined to return to Bangladesh in December and restore democracy, while acknowledging the possibility of imprisonment or a death sentence upon her return.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently registered a strong protest and said the development had affected public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

India has said the government had no involvement in the event. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it was organised by a private media entity and clarified that New Delhi did not endorse views expressed at the forum.

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Trump, PM Modi will resolve tariff issue over Russian oil trade, says US official

White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue over US tariff threats linked to India’s Russian oil trade.

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US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.

Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.

He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.

“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.

The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.

Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says

Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.

“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.

His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.

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US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill, India-China face 100% tariff risk

The US Senate has passed a Russia sanctions bill that could allow 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

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Donald Trump

The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.

The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.

The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

India and China among major Russian energy buyers

The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.

India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.

The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?

Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.

The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Bill also extends Iran sanctions law

The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.

The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.

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