‘We speak of our friendship’ Newly declassified transcripts show a chummy Putin and Bush Jr. at the height of U.S.–Russia cooperation — Meduza
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The National Security Archive at George Washington University has published eight newly declassified transcripts of conversations between Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush. These exchanges took place between 2001 and 2003 — a period when both presidents were actively searching for ways to cooperate. Despite persistent tensions in U.S.–Russian relations, including NATO expansion, Washington’s push to withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, and the Jackson–Vanik Amendment, Putin and Bush managed to build close cooperation on counterterrorism and nuclear nonproliferation. Even when the discussions touched on sensitive issues, the tone of the conversations remained consistently warm. The transcripts make clear that during their first presidential terms, Bush and Putin succeeded in forging a genuinely close personal relationship. Meduza traces the evolution of the Putin-Bush “friendship.”

The first of the conversations took place on July 6, 2001 — three weeks after a summit between George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin in Slovenia. Putin called to congratulate Bush on his birthday, as well as on the recent U.S. Independence Day. Bush replied that he was “honored” to receive the call, noting that Putin was the first head of state to wish him a happy birthday that year, and suggested that the Russian president call him “George.”