Putin’s Positive Readout Following the Alaska Summit, While Western Propaganda Pushes the Meme that Russia Faces Economic Turmoil at Home

by Larry C. Johnson

Let’s start with President Putin’s post-summit briefing of his economic and national security team on the Alaska meeting with President Trump:

Dear colleagues, good afternoon!

I have asked you to come together in order to inform you about the results of our visit, the visit of our delegation to the United States, to Alaska.

I would like to say right away that the visit was timely and very useful. We talked about almost all aspects of our cooperation, but above all, of course, we talked about a possible resolution of the Ukrainian crisis on a fair basis. And of course, we had the opportunity, which we took advantage of, to talk about the genesis and causes of this crisis. It is the elimination of these root causes that should be the basis for a settlement.

It has been a long time since we have directly negotiated at this level. I repeat, we had the opportunity to calmly and in detail reiterate our position. Of course, we respect the position of the American administration, which recognizes the need for an early end to hostilities. We also want to resolve all issues through peaceful means.

The conversation was very frank and informative, and I believe it brings us closer to the right solutions.

Putin addressed the same group of folks that he briefed last Thursday before heading to Alaska:

Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin – Chairman of the Government

Vyacheslav Viktorovich VOLODIN – Chairman of the State Duma

VAYNO Anton Eduardovich – Head of the Presidential Administration

Dmitry Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV – Deputy Chairman of the Security Council

Sergey Kuzhugetovich SHOIGU – Secretary of the Security Council

Denis Valentinovich Manturov – First Deputy Prime Minister

Alexey Alekseyevich GROMOV is the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration

Sergey Vladilenovich KIRIENKO is the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration

NOVAK Alexander Valentinovich – Deputy Prime Minister

Dmitry Sergeevich PESKOV – Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration – Presidential Press Secretary

MEDINSKY, Vladimir Rostislavovich – Assistant to the President

YURY VIKTOROVICH USHAKOV – Assistant to the President

Andrey Belousov – Minister of Defense

Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov – Minister of Foreign Affairs

Reshetnikov Maxim Gennadievich – Minister of Economic Development

Anton Germanovich SILUANOV – Minister of Finance

Nabiullina Elvira Sakhipzadovna – Chairman of the Central Bank

BORTNIKOV, Alexander Vasilyevich – Director of the Federal Security Service

Sergey Evgenievich Naryshkin – Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service

Valery Vasilyevich GERASIMOV – Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation – First Deputy Minister of Defense

Dmitriev Kirill Aleksandrovich is the Special Representative of the President for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries and the General Director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund

While President Putin appears content with the outcome of the summit, the desperation in the West — especially in Europe — is palpable. An old meme, which claims that Russia’s economy is in trouble, is once again circulating in an effort to persuade the Trump team that victory is achievable because the Russian economy is in trouble. Western press coverage since January describes the Russian economy as increasingly strained and distorted by the ongoing war in Ukraine, international sanctions, and rising internal pressures:

• Wartime Focus and Inflation: Russia has refocused its economy on military production, with large sums channeled to defense industries and recruitment. This has led to pockets of economic growth—especially in manufacturing and defense—but fueled high inflation (over 10%) and interest rates (peaking at 21% in October 2025).
• Growth Slowdown and Recession Risks: After a period of “overheated growth,” Russia’s economic expansion has slowed rapidly, with official forecasts for GDP growth around 1.4–2% and some experts warning of an impending recession. The IMF expects even lower growth, and Russia’s own Finance Ministry has reduced its economic outlook as oil revenues fall.
• Labor Market Distortions: The unemployment rate is very low (around 2.2–2.3%), but this is mostly due to war recruitment drawing men away from civilian jobs, causing labor shortages in critical sectors and fueling wage growth.
• Budget and Debt Pressures: Western outlets report a “fiscal crunch” due to soaring war-related expenditures and declining energy revenues. Russia’s budget deficit has widened to the highest level in decades, and state finances are increasingly dependent on oil and gas, which remain vulnerable to global price changes and sanctions.
• Social Strains and Regional Inequality: There are growing reports of companies behind on wage payments and regional governments cutting recruitment bonuses. Social spending is heavily skewed toward veterans and military needs, causing public discontent and risk of local instability.
• Sanctions and Chinese Dependence: Western analysts highlight how Russia faces deepening isolation from global trade, forcing greater reliance on China, which now exerts increased economic influence and benefits from favorable trade terms. The ruble has weakened, and Russia is portrayed as sliding toward subordinate economic partner status relative to China.
• Structural Weaknesses: The press emphasizes that high-tech and civilian industries are stagnating while low-productivity, labor-intensive sectors expand, raising concerns about reverse industrialization and long-term economic sustainability

But much of this is quite misleading. Did you notice the ridiculous claim that Russia is on a path to become China’s bitch? Or that Russia is on the cusp of a recession because the Russian Central Bank (RCB) took proactive steps starting in late 2024 to tacke inflation? I am not saying that everything is rosy in Russia, but its economic house is in much better shape than that of Germany, France and the UK, who reportedly want to continue to fund Ukraine’s war machine. Let’s look at the facts:

Russia’s current GDP, using Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), is estimated at $7.1 trillion, making it the fourth largest economy in the world by this metric, and larger than any single other European economy, according to IMF estimates for 2025.
In comparison:
• Germany: Germany remains the largest European economy in terms of nominal GDP but is slightly below Russia in PPP terms, according to recent reports.
• France: France’s GDP (PPP) for 2025 is forecast at $3.3 trillion, significantly less than Russia’s. Per capita, France’s GDP (PPP) is around $61,322 to $65,626.
• United Kingdom: The UK’s GDP (PPP) is estimated at around $3.7 trillion for 2025, also less than Russia’s PPP GDP.

As you can see, Russia surpasses France, Germany, and the UK in overall economic size. This PPP advantage for Russia reflects the lower cost of living and prices for goods and services within Russia, because PPP adjusts for these factors. That means the average Russian is not suffering economic pain, despite high interest rates. But Russia’s relative advantage does not stop there.

Russia’s debt-to-GDP ratio in 2025 is projected to be about 19% of its GDP (PPP), which remains markedly lower than those of major Western European economies. Here’s how Russia compares to Germany, France, and the UK....

Russia reports a very low debt load, helped by conservative fiscal policy and limited external borrowing, while Germany, France, and the UK have much higher ratios, reflecting larger welfare expenditures, legacy debts, and heavier government spending (especially post-pandemic). Russia’s fiscal profile is generally seen as more conservative—with less reliance on debt markets—compared to Western peers. This not only provides insulation against international financial shocks, it means that Russia has more depth and more financial tools to weather economic problems.

When a country’s debt-to-GDP ratio exceeds 100%, it signals that the total government debt is larger than the country’s annual economic output. The financial implications of this situation can be significant and include:
Reduced Economic Growth: High debt levels can act as a drag on economic growth. Studies show that when debt surpasses certain thresholds (often cited around 77-90%, though without a strict “magic” number), it can reduce GDP growth by crowding out private investment and increasing borrowing costs. For example, rising national debt in the U.S. is projected to reduce the country’s GDP substantially over the long term.
Higher Borrowing Costs and Risk of Default: The higher the debt-to-GDP ratio, the greater the risk perceived by lenders regarding the country’s ability to repay. This can lead to increased interest rates on government debt and greater borrowing expenses. In extreme cases, it could trigger defaults or financial panics.
Crowding Out Private Investment: Large government borrowing absorbs capital that might otherwise finance private sector investment, potentially retarding innovation, job creation, and economic dynamism.
Reduced Fiscal Space: Governments with high debt loads have less flexibility to respond to economic shocks or invest in growth-enhancing projects due to the burden of servicing debt interest.
Lower Wages and Job Losses: Rising debt can translate into fewer jobs, lower wages, and reduced economic opportunities over time as the government spends more on debt servicing rather than productive investments

What about employment? The Western media insists that Russia’s unemployment rate in 2025, which has reached an all-time low of 2.2% as of May and June, marking one of the lowest official rates worldwide and a significant decrease from previous years, is a clear indicator of big trouble ahead. And the Western media pushes this narrative, while ignoring the conditions in Germany, France and the UK. So let me help out. Here are the numbers:

• The unemployment rate in Germany is around 5.4% in 2025, slightly up from recent years due to slower economic growth.
• France’s unemployment rate is approximately 7.5% in 2025, reflecting ongoing labor market challenges and economic reforms.
• The UK’s unemployment rate stands near 4.1% in 2025, which is considered low by historical standards but higher than Russia’s current rate.

To summarize, Russia has low unemployment, inflation is declining and it has a decisively lower debt-to-GDP ratio than all of the major European economies. The UK and France are on an unsustainable economic path, especially if they can’t find some gullible suckers out their to continue buying their debt. Oh, did I mention, that the US debt-to-GDP ratio is around 125%? The US, France and the UK are living on borrowed time, err… I mean borrowed money. If the world is hit with a global financial crisis, Russia is in a far better position to weather the storm than the US and its NATO allies. Moreover, if the US decides to stop funding the war in Ukraine, the UK, France and Germany lack the financial muscle to prop up Zelensky and his band of thieves. I wonder if Trump and the Europeans will discuss that on Monday?

https://sonar21.com/putins-positive-readout-following-the-alaska-summit-while-western-propaganda-pushes-the-meme-that-russia-faces-economic-turmoil-at-home/

AND RUSSIA IS WINNING ON THE BATTLEFIELD....

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

Trump Said It: “There’s No Better Word Than Stupid.”
Edward Curtin

For anyone who still thinks Donald Trump does not represent the interests of what is called “the deep state” but is actually the shallow or official US state, it is time to think again. If he is not a figurehead for those alleged hidden forces, then he will agree to a Russia-Ukraine settlement on Russia’s fundamental terms – that is, a mutual security agreement that stipulates the pulling back of US/NATO forces encircling Russia, etc. – when he meets with Putin in Alaska today.

There will be no further delay.

This, however, is extremely unlikely. Trump knows little but bullying and the use of the English language as a hammer. “I’m very highly educated,” he has said, without a scintilla of irony, “I know words, I know the best words. But there’s no better word than stupid.”

On the latter assertion he is right: there is no better word than stupid when it’s applied correctly.

During his campaign for the presidency, Trump used words more than fifty times to say that he would end the war in Ukraine “within twenty-four hours” of assuming the presidency. He could have accomplished this on day one by issuing an executive order (beside all he did issue), stopping all military aide to Ukraine, but he didn’t. Seven months of game-playing have elapsed and the war goes on with Trump’s backing laced with doubletalk about how he is seeking peace in Ukraine, is a man of peace, is bringing all American troops back home, and of course he gave a grateful ah-shucks when his brother-in-genocide, Benjamin Netanyahu, showed him a letter nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

He fully supports the destabilization of Russia, overtly or covertly, as have his predecessors, and this in incompatible with any deal Russia can agree to when he meets with Putin in Alaska.

This past weekend, and starting up again late Tuesday in the more conservative corporate media, August 12th as I write, CNN, The NY Times, and the Washington Post, three prominent establishment media (organs of propaganda) published their usual reminders to all presidents that they are watching:

CNN: “Trump-Putin summit in Alaska resembles a slow defeat for Ukraine”

The New Tork Times: “After Almost Losing Trump, Putin Gets His Ideal Summit”

Max Boot op ed, the Washington Post: “Putin is setting up Trump for another Munich”

For these media know that the Russians are coming still, as they have been for nearly a century, so don’t swim too far out into the Atlantic or Pacific, for they are waiting with Jaws to seize you. They are red and ravenous and have huge teeth.

Some claim these articles, and many more to come, are an example of how the “deep state” is pressuring Trump to continue to encircle Russia and degrade its military and economic strength (even try to oust Putin, as Biden said) despite Trump’s sincere desire to end the U.S./NATO war against Russia as a means to peaceful cooperation. This would assume Trump is radically different from every U.S. president in the last eighty years (with the exception of JFK, especially in the last year of his presidency) whose policies were all malignantly opposed to the USSR and then Russia.

In one respective way Trump is different, for he has stepped straight out of an updated version of a Twain bitter satire or Melville’s Confidence Man, a dangerous ignorant liar whose mask hides yet reveals the agenda he serves so faithfully. The man, after all, was a reality-television star and has long reveled in radical reversals of previous statements and intentions.

For example, in his first term, he often talked of withdrawing from NATO but never did; NATO, in fact, expanded under his watch. He talked about ending the U.S./NATO support for Ukraine’s bombing of Russian-speaking areas of eastern Ukraine, only to withdraw from the Minsk Accords and send military equipment to Ukraine to bomb those areas. A mimic of the severest neurotic, he reverses himself so often that it is obvious that it is a part of the strategic script he is performing. Confuse, confound, keep the audience is constant anticipation of the switch-back.

It assumes as well that Trump’s support for Israel and its genocide of the Palestinians is somehow divorced from the U.S.’s overall geopolitical strategy throughout the Middle East, West Asia, Eastern Europe, Russia, and its desperate efforts throughout the world to counter the ascendency of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) as the U.S. debt skyrockets and its world dominance diminishes.

Trump’s recent flim-flam plan is to pull a Richard Nixon Vietnamization hoax with NATOization of the war against Russia through Ukraine. I am convinced that the US/NATO war against Russia will not be ending unless NATO is dissolved, which Trump is not proposing. He only wishes to strengthen NATO with European money, not that of the U.S. NATO’s only current raison d’être is to destroy Russia as an independent country and create regime change there through multiple means. This has long been so. It is why the Obama administration engineered a coup d’ état in Ukraine in 2014. It is why NATO has existed for so long and has expanded. Open warfare in Ukraine is just one means among many they have used over the years. You can even “end” the overt war and continue the covert.

If NATO is not dissolved, the undermining of Russia will continue under Trump, who may –  I emphasize “may” – recognize that the proxy war is lost on the battlefield, a fact obvious for years despite U.S. government and mainstream media propaganda to the contrary – propaganda so blatantly false that it raises questions about people’s gullibility, but not about the mainstream media’s lies. How many foreign leaders do such media need to call the new Hitler before people wise up?

As the man said, “There’s no better word than stupid.”

https://off-guardian.org/2025/08/15/trump-said-it-theres-no-better-word-than-stupid/

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

The EU and Kiev are losing, and Trump is my witness
The Washington meeting shows Zelensky and his backers are playing catch-up to American and Russian leaders
By Nadezhda Romanenko

Monday’s White House summit featuring US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, and several senior EU figures ended without any grand announcements. Yet beneath the surface, a high-stakes diplomatic contest is unfolding over the Washington’s role in the Ukraine conflict.

The lack of decisive outcomes suggests that the real work is happening behind the scenes. Trump’s behavior – in particular his decision not to echo Kiev’s or Brussels’s messaging in the post-meeting briefings – is a signal. He is asserting his control over the narrative, reflecting that he remains unpersuaded by EU and Ukrainian arguments for continued Western entanglement in the conflict.

The summit and the diplomatic moves surrounding it are a tug-of-war, with Moscow’s goal being to remove Washington’s involvement in the conflict, while Brussel’s and Kiev’s is to keep it anchored in their corner.

The absence of new sanctions or pressure on Russia following last Friday’s Putin-Trump summit in Alaska suggests Moscow is gaining momentum. Trump has even shifted from demanding a ceasefire to advocating direct peace talks – a position more congenial to Moscow.

EU leaders and Zelensky came to Washington to reinforce Trump’s alignment. The want to persuade Trump: strengthen sanctions, maintain arms shipments, ensure Ukraine has a security architecture they want.

Thus far, though, their pull seems to be struggling. Trump, from the outset, appeared to put the EU and Ukraine on the defensive, signaling that their influence is limited.

The backdrop is critical: just days before, Trump hosted Putin in Anchorage, and that summit paved the way for more flexible diplomacy that sidesteps EU-defined preconditions. European leaders arriving at the White House now are playing catch-up – trying to steer a conversation already impacted by Trump’s shift.

Everything hinges on security guarantees for Ukraine – a deeply contested issue. Moscow is adamant that any meaningful guarantee depends on Ukrainian neutrality and demilitarization. In contrast, Kiev and the EU are pushing for a reinforced Ukrainian military, possible NATO deployment on Ukrainian soil or even eventual NATO accession.

These efforts by the Europeans appear desperate, even naïve – given that Russia is slowly but steadily winning the war on the ground. And as Russia makes military gains, Kiev’s and Brussels’ wiggle room in the negotiations shrinks.

That said, their attempts shouldn’t be dismissed outright. The shape of the peace deal slow-cooked in Washington will determine Ukraine’s fate – and by extension, much of Europe’s future security structure.

Moscow, meanwhile, remains unperturbed. After the meeting with Zelensky and the Europeans, Trump held a 40-minute phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Judging by the information released about the substance of the call, Trump made no demands and Putin offered no concessions. They talked about continuing direct Russia-Ukraine talks. They also discussed “elevating” the level of the talks, and according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was present at Monday’s meeting, direct talks between Putin and Zelensky could take place within two weeks.

It is clear that the Kremlin remains steadfast and poised to consider setting the terms while it holds all the military cards.

In the end, the Washington summit may have lacked ceremony and a spectacular outcome, but it was loaded with geopolitical subtext: a contest over whether the US remains a supporter to Ukraine or begins to shift back toward a more transactional, realist posture. The EU, recognizing its diminishing leverage, is trying to reclaim the narrative as the battleground, at least for now, is clearly tilting against it.

https://www.rt.com/news/623260-eu-zelensky-trump-losing/

MAKE A DEAL PRONTO BEFORE THE SHIT HITS THE FAN:

NO NATO IN "UKRAINE" (WHAT'S LEFT OF IT)

THE DONBASS REPUBLICS ARE NOW BACK IN THE RUSSIAN FOLD — AS THEY USED TO BE PRIOR 1922. THE RUSSIANS WON'T ABANDON THESE AGAIN.

THESE WILL ALSO INCLUDE ODESSA, KHERSON AND KHARKIV.....

CRIMEA IS RUSSIAN — AS IT USED TO BE PRIOR 1954

TRANSNISTRIA WILL BE PART OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.

A MEMORANDUM OF NON-AGGRESSION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE USA.

EASY.

THE WEST KNOWS IT.

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.