Trump's Russia ties: Le Figaro suggests confidential contact
The French newspaper "Le Figaro" highlights Donald Trump's controversial statements regarding Ukraine and Russia. His attacks on Zelensky and positive remarks 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 regarded by Russia as a "confidential contact."
According to "Le Figaro," U.S.-Russian economic relations are not strong enough to justify a quick rapprochement between Washington and Moscow. The newspaper speculates that normalization of relations might have been an attempt to isolate China, although experts consider this unlikely.
"There is suspicion, fuelled by confessions of 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 wonder.
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 cozying up to Trump; 'red' mobsters buy apartments in his properties and launder money through Trump Organization's casinos," argues "Le Figaro".
Despite numerous speculations, "Le Figaro" emphasizes that "there is no evidence" that Trump was an agent of Russian services. However, the newspaper notes that for 40 years Trump has practically never criticized Russia or Putin.
