There are many sources claiming that Biden and Putin are not talking to each other, or at least very rarely.
And this is stranger than we first realise. Even during the Cold War nuclear threat, American presidents talked to Soviet leaders. There were channels for discussions and consultations. It was not seen as strange, even though they represented completely different political systems and were bitter enemies.
But today they don’t talk to each other.
So whose fault is it, you might ask? Is it Putin who switched off the phone? Or is it Biden who refuses to talk?
Based on Western media reports, it is Russia that should be isolated and excluded from the international community by all available means. These include economic sanctions and even the seizure of Russian assets abroad, as well as the blocking of Russian media in the West. Perhaps it is the Americans who refuse to answer the phone? And the Russians who are not so inclined to call? Who knows? What we do know is that there are no direct calls.
The reason for the isolation of Russia is the war in Ukraine, where Russia is considered the aggressor and hostile party. And therefore, contacts have (probably) stopped.
At a time when dialogue is increasingly important
Both the US and Russia are nuclear powers. The US has about 5244 nuclear warheads and Russia has 5889. By comparison, China has 410, France 290, the UK 225, Pakistan 170, India 164, Israel 90 and North Korea 30. The Russians and Americans outnumber everyone, and together they have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the planet several times over. The Russians now also have supersonic missiles that can deliver these nuclear weapons even faster to the delivery address, something that the West is reluctant to discuss, but which in reality is a game changer, if a nuclear conflict were to occur today. And after the mobilisation during the Ukrainian war, Russia has the largest army in the world.
Superpowers not talking to each other is uncomfortable, regardless of who is right or wrong, who is evil or good.
Instead, I get the feeling that this new Cold War is not serious, that it is mostly a media construct, flags on Facebook, feeding the defence industry or domestic political scaremongering.
If it had been completely serious, the hot line between Washington and Moscow would have been established in no time.
