Kathrine Frich
Few world leaders are as guarded as Vladimir Putin, a man who trusts almost no one and sees danger everywhere.
His deep suspicion has only grown in recent years, and talk of another plot has once again fuelled his fears ahead of a planned meeting with Donald Trump.
Do not go to Budapest
Vladimir Putin has been warned against travelling to Hungary to meet Donald Trump after claims surfaced of a “British assassination plot.”
The extraordinary warning came from Andrey Bezrukov, a former Russian intelligence officer who once operated undercover in the United States.
“Do not go to Budapest,” Mr Bezrukov urged on Russian state television, calling the plan to host the meeting in Hungary “an absolutely treacherous operation.”
He suggested the talks be moved to Dubai instead, citing “very, very serious concerns” about safety.
The former spy, who was exposed in 2010 alongside glamour agent Anna Chapman, accused the UK of viewing Putin’s survival as the key obstacle to breaking up Russia.
“The entire mentality of the British is structured in such a way that if Putin doesn’t exist, then there’s no problem,” he said.
Deep suspicion of Britain
Mr Bezrukov claimed that Britain’s ruling elite “understand that Britain may soon cease to exist,” arguing that the country’s shifting social and political landscape is eroding its power.
He alleged that this fear drives London’s hostility toward Moscow.
“For them, a blow at us, including an absolutely treacherous operation based on this meeting in Budapest, is a decision,” he said. “They will risk everything, because they are risking everything now.”
Despite offering no evidence, Mr Bezrukov insisted his concerns were genuine and again warned Putin not to attend the talks in Hungary.
Possible Dubai alternative
During the discussion, pro-Kremlin host Vladimir Solovyov asked how such a threat could be avoided.
Mr Bezrukov replied that “there’s a wonderful country called the United Arab Emirates,” suggesting the Gulf state could serve as a safer venue for the meeting.
Solovyov then claimed Putin was “so brave” that he would likely still make the journey to Budapest.
But Bezrukov cautioned against unnecessary heroics, saying: “Sometimes it’s not good. The Supreme Commander represents the country, and the interests of the country are more important than the courage of one person.”
From spy to strategist
Bezrukov’s past reads like a Cold War thriller.
Once posing as Donald Howard Heathfield in the US, he and his wife Elena Vavilova lived undercover in Massachusetts with their two sons, who reportedly had no idea their parents were spies.
After being caught and swapped in a 2010 spy exchange, Bezrukov returned to Russia and built a new career as a professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
He now serves as an adviser to Rosneft, Russia’s state oil giant, and remains a member of the country’s influential foreign policy council.
Espionage expert Sergey Kanev has claimed that Bezrukov has even travelled to Britain since his exposure, using a Cypriot passport.
Arrest warrant ignored
A trip to Budapest would mark Putin’s first visit to Hungary since launching the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Despite the International Criminal Court issuing a warrant for his arrest over the alleged deportation of Ukrainian children, Hungary has made clear it will not act on it.
The Hungarian government has maintained a close relationship with Moscow throughout the conflict, often clashing with its EU and NATO allies over sanctions and support for Ukraine.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
