Ex-security council chief Nikolai Patrushev, known as ‘Putin’s brain’, said Britain and other European countries must be excluded as the Trump administration and Russia decide Ukraine’s fate
One of Vladimir Putin’s closest aides has sent a chilling assassination warning to Donald Trump as the US and Russia work together to decide the fate of Ukraine – which he said will “cease to exist” this year.
Known as “Putin’s brain”, ex-security council chief Nikolai Patrushev said Trump could face assassination attempts before and after his inauguration, and that US intelligence agencies must prioritise the 78-year-old’s safety as he warned four US presidents had already been murdered while in office.
Patrushev, 73, added that Britain and other European countries must be excluded as the Trump administration and Russia decide Ukraine’s fate. The former head of the sinister FSB security service, a key architect of the war, said: “Clearly not all US elites share Trump’s positions. His views differ much from the plans nurtured by representatives of the Democratic Party, separate owners of industrial giants, and transnational corporations.
“This is why it is critically important to ensure the security of Trump and his entourage before the inauguration of the head of state, as well as during his tenure as president.” On the war in Ukraine, he said: “If we are talking about definite prospects of the further development of events, taking into account the Trump factor, we regard his statements with respect.
“I propose that talks on Ukraine should be held between Russia and the USA, without the involvement of other Western nations.” He said: “There is nothing to discuss with any London or Brussels. The EU leadership, for example, has long since lost any authority to negotiate on behalf of many of its members.”
Hardliner Patrushev, who sees his deputy prime minister son Dmitry, 47, as eventual successor to Putin, 72, said: “It is possible that in the coming year Ukraine will cease to exist at all.” He did little to discourage Trump from seeking a land grab in Greenland and even Canada, implying that in upcoming talks, Putin and the new US president could carve up the world in a way that suits them both.
Trump “has outlined his interests with regard to Greenland, the Panama Canal, Mexico, and Canada. Reshaping the world map to suit US interests and interfering in affairs of countries on various continents is an American tradition. At the same time, it’s hardly warranted to say that Trump might send armed forces to win new states for the US.
“However, there’s no doubt that the new administration will be very persistent in pushing through its own interests on all those tracks.” Patrushev insisted Russia would not concede any part of Ukraine that it now holds.
The world must recognise “the entry” of invaded areas of Ukraine into Russia – including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as Crimea. “They are an integral part of our country in accordance with the constitution,” he said.
