I know it’s the norm nowadays but it’s still amazing to see flat-out lies like this in major media outlets.

Putin didn’t in the least “endorse Trump’s Greenland takeover”, in fact he called it “concerning” because it shows that “NATO countries are increasingly often designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts.” And he added that Russia needed to “proceed from current realities and respond to all this.”

I’m using the exact same Putin speech The Guardian references in their article, which he made “at an Arctic policy forum in the northern Russian city of Murmansk”.

Anyone can verify this for themselves: read Putin’s speech and then read The Guardian article and you’ll see it’s a complete misrepresentation.

The Guardian then uses this supposed “endorsement” by Putin to make the case that he is an “enthusiastic ally” of “Trump’s transactional view of the world, as well as his deep suspicion of transnational organisations set up after the second world war,” like “the United Nations.”

But this is of course shockingly wrong too, as Russia, together with China and Global South countries in general keep emphasizing that they actually want a much bigger role for the UN in a future multipolar world order.

For proof just take the extraordinary 8,000-word joint statement released by Russia and China in May last year  in which they describe in minute details their vision for a new world order.

The foundation of this order? “The achievements of World War II and the post-war world order established by the UN Charter.”

In Russia and China’s view THEY are the true guarantors of the post-WW2 order, when the West—the U.S. very much included—has completely betrayed its spirit and principles.

The joint statement was particularly critical of the United States, writing that its adherence “to hegemonism and power politics” was contrary to the trend towards a multipolar world order, and that the “US, with its Cold War mentality and camp confrontation model, puts ‘small group’ security above regional security and stability.” They also wrote that they has “serious concern about the United States’ attempts to undermine strategic stability to maintain its absolute military superiority.”

So the notion that Putin would now be an “enthusiastic ally” of Trump as he doubles down on power politics, further undermines the post-WW2 order and makes a complete mockery of the UN Charter is laughable at best.

I strongly believe that this sort of Orwellian misrepresentation of reality is one of the key reasons, if not THE key reason, for the West’s decline and Europe’s in particular.

It’s why all their actions feel completely disconnected from reality. Because they are!

When you take decisions based on lies you tell yourself, don’t be surprised if those decisions lead to disastrous outcomes. And trap you in a vicious cycle where false narratives drive poor policy choices, which then require even more distorted reporting to justify their failures.

Vir: Arnaud Bertrand