Written by Isciane Genuist

On October 15th, Bob Woodward, renowned journalist and exposure of the 1970s Watergate scandal, published War. In this book, Bob Woodward reveals details about the relationship between Donald Trump, ex-president of the United States, and Vladimir Putin, the current Russian President, sparking widespread debate and public reaction.

Putin has denied these allegations while Steven Cheung, a Republican spokesman, dismissed the book as “made-up” and stated that it could “serve as toilet paper”. On the other hand, many Democrats view the revelations as evidence of a close bond between Trump and Putin. Woodward alleges that during his presidency, Trump provided Putin with Covid-19 detection tests for personal use keeping the exchange confidential at Putin’s request. Despite Trump’s electoral defeat, he and Putin reportedly continued their association, meeting seven times since 2021, even after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

What do we know for sure? The U.S. Republican Party has been wary of ongoing military aid to Ukraine, which heavily relies on Western military and financial support. For instance, according to the European concilium, more than 118 billions of dollars had been accosted to Ukraine from European countries. Trump, meanwhile, has made repeated critical statements about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him “the greatest salesman on earth” and
claiming, “every time he comes to our country, he walks away with $60 billion,” referring to the U.S. aid allocated to Ukraine. During a meeting with Zelensky on September 27th, he also positioned himself as a potential mediator in the conflict, stating that he could resolve the Ukraine situation in just 24 hours similar to his diplomatic approach with Kim Jong Un in 2018. This stance aligns with Putin’s interests, as Trump’s preference for dialogue over financial aid could weaken Ukraine’s defenses, leaving it either vulnerable to Russia’s ongoing invasion or pressured into negotiations in a weakened state.

Additionally, Trump has shown skepticism toward NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation), by questioning its commitment to defending countries that do not meet their defense spending obligations. This is significant because Article 5 of NATO mandates collective defense: “The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed
attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense”. Trump’s stance could potentially embolden Russia to target nations that struggle to meet these defense spending standards.

Regarding Russia’s alleged role in U.S. elections, accusations of interference remain controversial. While some claims are substantiated, others rely on speculation. The U.S. has accused Russia of using channels like RT and leveraging AI to create online content aimed at influencing American voters.

Thus, War appears in a context of the American elections that will take place on November the 5th of this year, that can influence the votes and the opinions of the American citizens. It also represents a real issue in international relations by shining a light on the relation between America and Russia especially if Trump will be elected.