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By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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Vladimir Putin has praised his relationship with Donald Trump, referring to his "sense of humor" in response to a question in which the U.S. president appeared to criticize his Russian counterpart.
Following his attendance at China's military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Putin told reporters he and Trump were on a "first name basis."
Referring to a Trump Truth Social post that the presence of the Russian leader and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Beijing showed they sought "to conspire" against the U.S, Putin said, the U.S. leader "is not without a sense of humor clearly, we all know it well," according to The Associated Press.
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Why It Matters
Putin's comments could be a move to ease tensions with Trump who has not only taken a swipe at his attendance at the Beijing parade, but also said in an interview he was "disappointed" in the Russian president about the high number of deaths in Ukraine amid a lack of progress on any peace deal.
What To Know
Putin's comments follow days of high diplomacy, which included attending the Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO) summit, celebrations in Tiananmen Square marking the end of World War II and meetings with world leaders.
Putin turned on the charm when responding to Trump's Truth Social post which takes a swipe at the appearance of the Russian leader, alongside Kim and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Trump had posted "please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America."
Putin's aide Yury Ushakov said that "no one was plotting" against the U.S, and when Putin referred to the message, he told reporters that the U.S. leader "is not without a sense of humor."
Putin went on to say that both leaders referred to each other by their first names, that he had never heard "any negative judgments on the current American administration" over the previous four days in China, and even backed Trump's position on Ukraine, saying that he had a "sincere desire to find this solution."
Putin's presence next to Xi and Kim on Wednesday as China paraded its latest military hardware sent a defiant message to the U.S.-centric world.
David Silbey, a Cornell University professor, told Newsweek Putin's presence at the event showed the close alliance between Russia and China and a new axis against the U.S.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social in response to Beijing's WW2 parade: "Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America."
Russian President Vladimir Putin said referring to the post: "The President of the United States is not without a sense of humor clearly, we all know it well. I have good relations with him, we're on a first-name basis. "
David Silbey, a Cornell University professor specializing in military history: "The presence of Putin demonstrates the close alliance between Russia and China. Along with the visit of Indian leader Narendra Modi, this is a very public showing to the world of a new axis forming against American power."
What Happens Next
Following their August 15 meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, Putin said Wednesday that talks can end the war and there was "light at the end of the tunnel."
Trump has dropped his demand for Russia to accept a ceasefire in favor of a comprehensive peace deal but there has been no progress on Trump's push for meetings involving Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Update 09/04/25, 06:16 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with further information.
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