Andrey Kolesnikov about the meeting of Vladimir Putin and Stephen Witkoff

On April 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg held a meeting on the development of the Navy and met with the special envoy of the US President Stephen Whitkoff. Special correspondent « Kommersant » Andrey Kolesnikov I tried to keep track of everyone.

The meeting on the development strategy of the Navy took place in the building of the Main Admiralty in St. Petersburg. It was interesting to visit. There are no tourists here, but they would like. Half the building is underdeveloped, half is simply impressive, and that’s it.

For journalists, part of the museum of the General Staff of the Admiralty was determined to wait. There are many layouts of underwater and surface boats, as well as ballistic missiles, photographs of people, paintings with the image of the sea.

Ship bells, kerosene lanterns of a distinctive fire, officer daggers … The decoration of the exposition, without a doubt, is the painting “Fresh Wind”, which significantly depicts the shore of the Sea of ​​Azov. It is indicated: “The picture was taken by personnel 136 OSHSBR 58 OA on the basis of Azov during the battles for Berdyansk in 2022.”

That is trophy. Taken.

The Navy development meeting was actually devoted to the expectation of a meeting of Vladimir Putin with the American special delighted by Stephen Whitkoff.

An hour before the meeting, it was known that at the entrance to the Grand Hotel Europe, he met a special representative of the Russian President Kirill Dmitriev, with whom the American special representative and left in an unknown direction. However, someone was well aware of someone: it turned out that they went to a large choral synagogue, where they spent time while a meeting in the Admiralty was going on.

Vladimir Putin appeared in the building of the Admiralty, meanwhile, about an hour later, the main participants in the meeting gathered here: presidential assistants Alexei Dyumin and Nikolai Patrushev, head of VTB Andrei Kostin, Minister of Finance of Russia Anton Siluanov, commander in chief of the Navy Alexander Moiseev …

Mr. Moiseev, by all signs, was already satisfied with what was happening:

– there (outside the doors. – A.K.) We talked about aviation, here – already about ships …

He did not look satisfied, such an impression, so far only Andrei Kostin. The cargo of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, which at one time awarded VTB Bank, is able to pull, it seems, to the bottom and this bank itself. But this is not for sure.

“More recently, you know, at the end of March in Severodvinsk, the Perm multi -purpose submarine was launched, then many important issues of the development of the fleet were discussed there …” said the Supreme Commander -in -Chief.

And it was strange: they just discussed, and here again.

“I want to note,” continued Vladimir Putin, “that now the share of modern weapons and equipment for naval strategic nuclear forces is already 100%of Russia …

This Vladimir Putin read from the text of his speech. It seemed that there was nothing more to think about, and to meet again. In fact, someone is misleading someone here. Of the 12 strategic submarines, five-project 667BDRM-were built in the second half of the 1980s.

– “Perm” became the first submarine, in the service of which are the hypersonic cruise missiles “Zircon”. This already resembles … Some elements even appear strategic nuclear forces, ”added the Supreme Commander.

And this Vladimir Putin actually uttered from himself, looking at Alexander Moiseev.

So 100% or elements appear? Apparently, the Commander -in -Chief of the Navy was to answer.

– Comrade Supreme Commander! For a thousand kilometers! – said Mr. Moiseev.

– For a thousand! – the president repeated with meaning. – Yes, and the speed of ten swings! This is a weapon that can actually perform strategic tasks!

The key, as always, were the words « actually. » And not those that were read on a piece of paper.

“In the coming decade, 8 trillion 400 billion rubles are provided for the construction of new ships and vessels of the Navy,” continued Mr. Putin, and the face of the head of VTB seemed to be brightened (see the results of the meeting also p. 3).

After the meeting, which did not last a very long time (maybe an hour and a half, which was not so convincing for such a topic), I was interested in Nikolai Patrushev, why did it take the second almost a meeting on the development of the Navy, if, as Vladimir Putin himself said, before that they had already discussed all this.

“Now we have prepared all the documents that must be provided to the president so that everything was finally finalized, and all the comments were taken into account,” Nikolai Patrushev confidently answered, looking at me testively.

There was no clarity, however. It was introduced, answering my question, now Alexei Dyumin:

“The meeting in the Murmansk region was devoted to solving local problems, and today-until the 35th year,” he shrugged.

-And what ended so quickly if until the 35th year? I asked.

“And it was prepared well,” Mr. Dyumin explained. “You better say: did the meeting with Whitkoff began?” Or is it already over?!

It was a good joke.

No, the meeting has not yet begun (and, it would seem, the development strategy of the Navy and the strict strategy of Russia and the United States somehow do not converge, and it would really really end).

However, it began a few minutes later, in the B. N. Yeltsin presidential library, that is, a stone’s throw from the Admiralty. Some, of course, tried to catch in the welcoming gesture of Mr. Whitkoff (he put his right hand to his heart) something more than a cordial greeting, that is, the sign “From the Heart to the Sun”, which was famous for Elon Musk. But this was not; No, it was not. Just from heart to heart. The meeting of two hearts, that is.

Interestingly, this is at the last meeting in Novo-Ogarsevo Vladimir Putin told Steven Witkoff: “You have not been to me in St. Petersburg! They didn’t see the synagogue! « 

Andrey Kolesnikov