President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned "Western elites" against trying to sabotage a potential rapprochement between Russia and the United States, saying Moscow would use its diplomats and intelligence services to thwart such efforts.

If anyone thought Mr Merz was being alarmist, they were swiftly disabused. On February 24th, on a UN resolution that blamed Russia for invading Ukraine, America voted against its European allies and sided with Russia and North Korea.

According to Reuters, Putin says Europe is needed in Ukraine talks, but suggests a deal is still far from done. Mr Putin told Russian state television that Mr Trump was approaching the Russia-Ukraine conflict rationally and not emotionally,