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A Russian aircraft lands in New York. Humanitarian aid for the USA

(B2) This is a first... for a long time. It almost sounds like April Fools. And no... A jumbo jet of the Russian armed forces landed on April 1 at New York airport

The Antonov 124 on the tarmac at New York airport (credit: Russian Mission in the USA)

A mailing following a Putin-Trump interview

On board, various medical equipment and materials, including respirators and personal protective equipment, provided by the Russian government to the FEMA, the US Federal Emergency Management Administration. The information was first made official by Moscow followed by the Americans. It follows the telephone conversation that US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had the day before (March 30), but also at the last G20 meeting last week. The G20 countries have agreed to work together to defeat the coronavirus »

peace and love

The two countries “have provided humanitarian aid to each other in times of crisis in the past and will no doubt do so again in the future. This is a time when we must work together to overcome a common enemy that threatens the lives of all of us.... ” hums the American press release. Note that this aid is not entirely free: the Americans have " agreed to purchase necessary medical supplies ».

Comment: the beginning of another policy or a one-night stand

Is it beyond the emergency, a gesture of relaxation, the start of another policy, or just the 'one night stand'? Difficult to predict. What is certain is that this demonstrates the 'pragmatism' of Donald Trump, ready to turn around overnight, if the need arises.

However, seeing the world's leading power go 'begging' for help from Russia is rather surreal. This is a notable sign that the situation is very serious across the Atlantic with the galloping coronavirus epidemic: the USA should quickly overtake Europe in terms of mortality at the current rate. The White House has just published alarmist forecasts (evoking at least 100.000 deaths).

The other element to analyze is that from Washington's point of view, the enemy being China, Russia can be a partner depending on the opportunities, especially in the event of a hard blow. A 360° strategy in a way. This will perhaps force some allies, who have made anti-Russian sentiment the alpha and omega of their policy, to re-examine certain aspects of their policy.

(NGV)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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