White House Officials Envision Worst-Case Scenarios for Putin's 60th Anniversary Celebration

Strategic Insights -

As President Bush attends President Putin's celebration in Moscow of the 60th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat, White House officials are bracing for the possibility of awkward encounters with leaders deemed hostile or unsavory by the administration. A European reporter's question to the President about standing next to individuals like Aleksandr Lukashenko and General Jaruzelski has raised concerns about the potential diplomatic challenges ahead. While officials acknowledge they have no control over seating arrangements, they have been contemplating worst-case scenarios, including the possibility of the President sitting next to Kim Jong Il, the president of North Korea.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Bush's attendance at President Putin's celebration in Moscow has raised concerns among White House officials about potential awkward encounters with leaders deemed hostile or unsavory by the administration.
  • A European reporter's question to the President about standing next to individuals like Aleksandr Lukashenko and General Jaruzelski has highlighted the diplomatic challenges that may arise during the celebration.
  • Senior administration officials say they have no control over seating arrangements at the celebration, but have been contemplating worst-case scenarios, including the possibility of the President sitting next to Kim Jong Il.
  • Relations between the United States and Russia are strained, particularly after President Bush warned President Putin not to meddle in the affairs of former Soviet republics on his border.
  • White House officials are also concerned about the potential attendance of other leaders, including President Lukashenko of Belarus, who was denied a seat at a NATO summit meeting in 2002.

Statistics:

  • 50 leaders are expected to attend President Putin's 60th anniversary celebration in Moscow.
  • 3 other leaders, including President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia, have announced they will boycott the celebration.
  • 2 Russian military bases remain in the country of Georgia, a major point of contention in talks between the Kremlin and the Georgian government.
  • President Saakashvili came to power in the 2003 street uprising against Russian domination known as the Rose Revolution.
  • The United States and Russia have strained relations, particularly after President Bush's warning to President Putin about meddling in the affairs of former Soviet republics.

Sources:

  • "President Putin's 60th Anniversary Celebration Sparks Diplomatic Concerns" by Nikolai Cherginets, head of the Commission on International Affairs and National Security in the upper house of the Belarusian Parliament.
  • "White House Warns Russia on Meddling in Ex-Soviet Republics" by an administration official, quoted in The New York Times.