"Russia Is Not Trusted Even By Its Allies"
- 16.01.2026, 23:32
The RF has become a haven for loser dictators.
Russia is already perceived as an unreliable ally; there is no trust in it. Putin has repeatedly shown that he can violate any treaty. Including in relation to those countries that are Russia's partners. Moscow is an ally that can screw you at any moment.
This has been emphasized by the well-known Ukrainian political scientist Vladimir Fesenko.
This position of the dictator was clearly demonstrated in the Middle East, in the history with the regime of Bashar al-Assad. And also, during the so-called 12-day war between Israel and Iran, the political scientist recalled.
- The United States then struck Iranian territory. And, it would seem, just before that Iran had signed a strategic partnership agreement with Russia. Iranian leaders traveled to Russia, asking for help. But there was virtually no support - only lip service. And Iran suffered tangible defeats then," Fesenko noted.
The protests that began in Iran at the end of last year and continue now have also shown the weakness and vulnerability of the Iranian regime. They showed that it is increasingly at odds with the moods, expectations and interests of ordinary citizens of the country, the political scientist said.
- The Iranian regime has always relied on the support of the Kremlin. And now it is obvious that this support is very conditional. And in Iran, I think, they were very much afraid that the Kremlin might also sacrifice the current Iranian leadership for the sake of "friendship with Trump," Fesenko said.
On the other hand, one of the motivations for both Bashar al-Assad and some other dictators to be friends with Putin is a place to flee. So that there is somewhere to flee to. In case there are problems, the speaker added.
"There is already an ironic joke in Russia that Putin's Russia has become the main refuge for various fugitive dictators who have been overthrown and who end up fleeing to Moscow. Here's Bashar al-Assad coming to Russia. Yanukovych ended up there at one time. So it's a haven for defeated dictators. For former allies. It's like compensation for friendship. We didn't protect you, but at least we gave you a place to live out your days. This is the only compensation that, in fact, Russia provides to its allies," the political scientist noted.
But there is no full-fledged trust in Russia, and when they agree on something with Russia, Fesenko believes, its partners already have an understanding that there may be problems, and Moscow cannot be fully relied upon.
The political scientist also cited another illustrative example - Russia's relations with China, where Beijing dominates.
"China also does not rely on Russia very much and realizes that it is an ally that can betray you on occasion. When Putin's flirtation with Trump began, China began to look at it with suspicion as well. They're not making official statements, they're not making any condemnations of it. But China is showing that it doesn't like it very much. And China is indirectly, but it is cutting Russia some slack. It is becoming more rigid in buying Russian natural resources. That is, yes, they are ready to buy, but at a big discount. So that it would be profitable, but also to show Russia that you now depend on us," the political scientist said.
According to him, China is also showing that it does not like Putin's blatant flirtation with Trump, including in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
"The Chinese last year said that Europeans should participate in the negotiation process on Ukraine, which contradicts the Kremlin's position," Fesenko noted.
These, he believes, are small but very indicative examples of the fact that even a senior partner, and now China is such a partner in relation to Russia, can also be dissatisfied with the Kremlin's actions and also treat the Russian Federation without proper trust.
"Putin, who boasts that he is supposedly treaty-capable, in fact has repeatedly shown by his actions in relation to Ukraine and the Europeans that he can violate any agreement. Including in relation to those countries that are Russia's partners," the expert summarized.