Moscow Calling – August 6

Peskov explains prolonged absence of meeting between Russian, U.S. presidents

The Kremlin said it was not surprising that Vladimir Putin had not yet met with the new U.S. president in person, marking the first time in post-Soviet history that it has taken more than six months, TASS reported. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said such a long pause reflects the unprecedented deterioration in Russian-American relations during Joe Biden’s presidency. According to Peskov, many irritating factors have accumulated, lowering the level of relations between Moscow and Washington “to an unprecedented level.” At the same time, the Kremlin emphasized that President Donald Trump has already spoken with Putin six times by phone (TASS).

Intended effect:

The material portrays the Biden administration as responsible for the sharp deterioration in relations with Russia and highlights Donald Trump’s “new” approach as being more favorable to Moscow. This may shape audience expectations for normalized dialogue under Trump and shift responsibility for Russia’s isolation onto the previous U.S. administration.

Zakharova comments on possible deployment of Russian weapons in Latin America

Russia is considering military cooperation with other countries, including the possibility of deploying weapons, strictly within the framework of its international obligations and bilateral agreements, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, commenting on experts’ statements about the potential deployment of Russian Oreshnik missile systems in Venezuela and Cuba. She stressed that statements on this matter reflect the personal views of the experts and that the Ministry of Defense is responsible for addressing this issue (EADaily).

Intended effect:

The material portrays Russia as a responsible actor, emphasizing its respect for international norms and partnership commitments. At the same time, it allows for the possibility of expanding Russia’s military presence in the Western Hemisphere. This could be perceived as a signal to the West that Russia is ready to respond symmetrically to the actions of the U.S. and NATO.

Nikiforova accuses London of trying to provoke U.S. into war with Russia

A version is circulating in the Russian information space which claims that British special services allegedly prepared a provocation involving Ukrainian security forces to discredit Russia and its energy exports, Russian journalist Victoria Nikiforova writes in an article on RIA Novosti. Nikiforova is under Western sanctions for spreading Russian disinformation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The article claims that there were plans to stage a terrorist attack on a tanker carrying Russian oil to cause an environmental scandal and provide a pretext for sanctions and a possible military confrontation with NATO. The article concludes that the UK is behind these actions, as it allegedly benefits from escalation and even global conflict, including dragging the U.S. into a war with Russia (ria.ru).

Intended effect:

The article promotes the image of a “foreign conspiracy” against Russia, portraying London as the main villain, dreaming of unleashing World War III. It reinforces anti-British and anti-NATO rhetoric, painting the audience as surrounded by a hostile ring and justifying potential retaliatory measures.

Ashotyan accuses U.S., EU of tacitly approving persecution of Armenian Apostolic Church, opposition

Armen Ashotyan, the deputy chairman of Armenia’s former ruling Republican Party, claimed that the European Union and the United States are turning a blind eye to the persecution of the Armenian Apostolic Church and opposition politicians in Armenia. According to RIA Novosti, Ashotyan noted that those currently under arrest are not only “political prisoners of Nikol Pashinyan,” but also of the international institutions that talked about Armenian democracy for years yet proved incapable of defending their own values. Ashotyan claims that the authorities would have released those arrested if even a small European country had spoken out. According to him, he considers the U.S. and EU ambassadors to be the “jailers” of the arrested Church and opposition representatives (ria.ru).

Intended effect:

The material reinforces the narrative of Western double standards and an alleged conspiracy between international institutions and the Armenian government against the church and dissent. The material appeals to traditional values and representatives of the diaspora, while undermining trust in Armenia’s external partners, creating an image of a besieged church and a devoted “popular” movement that is allegedly being suppressed with the tacit consent of the U.S. and the EU.