MOSCOW, June 6. /TASS/. European leaders are trying to block a thaw in US-Russia relations; Russia may play a role in stalled US-Iran nuclear negotiations; and Elon Musk has publicly clashed with Donald Trump over tax policy and other issues. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Izvestia: Europe seeks to block normalization of US-Russia relations
Europeans are seeking to impede the normalization of Russia-US relations, but these efforts are largely ineffective as long as Russia and the United States remain committed to moving the process forward, Federation Council Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev told Izvestia. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who met with Donald Trump on June 5 for the first time since his election, aimed to persuade Washington to adopt a tougher stance toward Moscow. Following the meeting, the US President stated that he could impose sanctions on both Russia and Ukraine should they fail to reach a mutual agreement. However, Trump’s phone conversation with Vladimir Putin on June 4 showed that Washington still prefers to pursue a path of dialogue.
"There is no doubt whatsoever that Europeans are attempting to disrupt the normalization of Russian-American relations. The effectiveness of these efforts will not depend on European leaders, but rather on the leaders of Russia and the United States," Konstantin Kosachev told Izvestia.
Europe is unlikely to exert a decisive influence over the direction of ongoing processes in US-Russian relations. It simply lacks the power and political will to do so, the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council added.
One of the objectives of Friedrich Merz’s visit was to show Trump that Europeans want to engage with him on equal terms, German political analyst Alexander Rahr told Izvestia. However, Merz is unlikely to achieve his goal, he added.
On June 4, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held their fourth phone conversation to date, reaffirming the American leader’s intention to pursue solutions rather than escalation.
"Based on their phone call, it can be inferred that, for now, Trump does not consider it necessary to significantly tighten sanctions against Moscow, and he is not prepared to place sole responsibility on Russia, at least not unilaterally, for the difficulties that have emerged in the course of the Russian-Ukrainian dialogue," Andrey Kortunov added.
Vedomosti: Could Russia break impasse in US-Iran nuclear deal talks?
Russia is prepared to join negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program if necessary, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated on June 5, commenting on a phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Peskov added that Moscow continues to maintain strong partnership ties with Tehran and that President Putin would use this opportunity to contribute to addressing the issue. Experts told Vedomosti they believe that while Russia’s involvement in US-Iran nuclear talks could support negotiations, potentially by storing Iranian nuclear fuel and monitoring compliance, it would not replace Oman’s mediating role.
The conversation between Putin and Trump was held on the evening of June 4. Later, Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that the Russian leader had offered to take part in negotiations with Iran and suggested that Moscow’s involvement could help expedite a resolution.
In theory, Iran could agree to Russia’s participation in the nuclear talks, according to Junior Research Fellow at the Center for Middle East, Caucasus, and Central Asia Studies at the Higher School of Economics Ilya Vaskin.
At the same time, Vaskin emphasized that Moscow’s involvement would not displace Oman from its mediating role. "Muscat simply arranges meetings and provides a venue for the negotiations. Russia, however, could potentially serve as a repository for Iranian nuclear fuel and oversee Tehran’s compliance with the terms of a new agreement," the expert explained.
Oman’s mediating role, similar to Russia’s potential role, is not central to resolving the nuclear crisis, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Sazhin told the newspaper. For the United States, the principal demand is the halt of uranium enrichment on the territory of the Islamic Republic, while for Iran, the lifting of sanctions remains the core issue, the Iran expert noted. "Economic restrictions remain Washington’s main instrument of pressure on Iran. Tehran understands that if sanctions are not lifted, they may eventually trigger anti-government protests or even a revolution," he concluded.
Vedomosti: Elon Musk risks becoming Donald Trump’s rival amid mounting tensions over policy
Less than a week after billionaire Elon Musk left the administration of US President Donald Trump, he has already entered into what is verging on direct confrontation with it. Musk did not hold back in choosing a reason for criticizing his former political ally, launching a scathing attack on the "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OBBB) - Trump’s most significant and sweeping domestic initiative, which proposes to extend the provisions of the 2017-2018 tax reform. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti believe that while Elon Musk’s criticism of Trump could escalate into a broader conflict, especially if he mobilizes opposition within the Republican Party, he is unlikely to sever ties completely due to his dependence on government contracts.
Although Trump and Musk initially avoided a direct clash, the president addressed their strained dynamic during a press conference following his meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the evening of June 5. Responding to journalists’ questions, Trump noted that he was unsure whether his relationship with Musk could remain as close as it once was. While stopping short of personally rebuking Musk, Trump expressed both surprise and concern at the billionaire’s hostile reaction to the OBBB.
Musk responded via his account on X, asserting that Trump would have lost the election without him and accusing the president of ingratitude. He also claimed he had never been shown the text of the controversial bill.
The OBBB is not the only source of potential conflict between the White House and Musk. From the outset, Musk opposed several of the administration’s initiatives, including specific aspects of its immigration and trade policies.
Musk’s criticism could escalate into a serious conflict with Trump if he actively encourages opposition within the Republican Party, Associate Professor at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the Higher School of Economics Dmitry Novikov said.
In a post on X, Musk declared that in November 2026, Americans would punish all the politicians who betrayed them, a clear reference to the upcoming midterm elections scheduled for fall next year. In response, Novikov suggested, Trump could theoretically reconsider existing SpaceX contracts with NASA or the Pentagon. Still, the political scientist believes Musk’s negative statements are unlikely to erode Trump’s core base of supporters.
There is growing mutual hostility between congressional Republicans and Musk, Deputy Dean of the School of International Relations at MGIMO University Vladimir Pavlov told Vedomosti. However, for now, the situation more closely resembles a power play, the expert concluded.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Russia prepares retaliatory strikes on key Ukrainian defense assets
The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue their attacks on Russian military and civilian infrastructure. On June 5, a railway track was damaged in the Voronezh region, but the disruption on the tracks was averted. Sabotage and assaults are especially pronounced in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, where Ukrainian forces are targeting energy infrastructure. In Ukraine and in the West, decisive retaliatory measures from Moscow are anticipated - measures President Vladimir Putin reportedly discussed with US President Donald Trump, Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote.
Parts of Melitopol, Energodar, Kamenka-Dneprovskaya, Berdyansk, the Akimovsky, Prymorsky, and Chernigovsky municipal districts were left without power following a massive Ukrainian drone attack on June 4, Governor of the Zaporozhye region Evgeny Balitsky said on June 5. A similar attack occurred in the Kherson region, where a substation was damaged, leaving 120,000 people without electricity and water, according to regional Governor Vladimir Saldo.
On June 4, President Putin informed President Trump that Russia would respond harshly to sabotage and drone attacks orchestrated by Kiev, stressing that any strike on Ukrainian targets would occur once Russian military leadership deems it "appropriate."
"Western analysts are now trying to guess which targets in Ukraine will be struck during Moscow’s sudden counterstrike," military expert and retired Lieutenant General Yuriy Netkachev told Nezavisimaya Gazeta. "First, military and military-strategic targets that underpin the country’s defense capability, including airfields, training grounds, military factories, arsenals, etc., will be hit. Second, powerful strikes could be directed at Ukraine’s energy facilities, bridges, and transportation routes. This would significantly degrade Kiev’s military strength," he added.
Against this backdrop, Western media report that the Pentagon is reducing weapon shipments destined for Kiev. Specifically, fuses for missiles that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had planned to use against Russian drones are being redirected to US units in the Middle East. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon quietly notified Congress of this decision last week.
Izvestia: Russia invests $8 bln in Iranian gas ventures to compensate for European market losses
Russia is investing $8 bln in Iranian gas ventures, with approximately $5 bln of that amount already secured through formal agreements, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Moscow Kazem Jalali announced. Experts interviewed by Izvestia believe Russia’s involvement in energy development in the Middle East could enable not only direct gas exports to Iran but also to countries in South Asia. In their view, these volumes could help compensate for the loss of the European gas market, which previously accounted for over 100 bln cubic meters annually.
In June 2024, Gazprom and the National Iranian Gas Company signed a strategic memorandum to explore the organization of Russian gas deliveries to Iran. One month later, Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji announced that the memorandum envisions a 30-year contract between the parties for pipeline gas exports to Iran, amounting to roughly 110 bln cubic meters per year, along with the construction of a new gas transmission system.
Experts consider the deepening gas cooperation with Iran, alongside the initiative to create a gas hub in Turkey, as a key strategy in broadening Russia’s natural gas export routes.
According to Valery Andrianov, Associate Professor at the Financial University under the Russian Government, the precise export volumes will depend on Iran’s domestic gas needs as well as on the available infrastructure for transferring gas from Iran to third countries.
"It is no secret that Iran is viewed not only as a final consumer of Russian gas but also as a transit corridor. Primarily, this concerns the proposed construction of the Mir gas pipeline from the Islamic Republic to Pakistan and further to India, with a total length of 2,700 km and a throughput capacity of 55 bln cubic meters," he told Izvestia.
Ekaterina Kosareva, Managing Partner at WMT Consult, believes that although there has been no official confirmation, Gazprom is reluctant to risk further investments in boosting gas supplies to Europe. "Gazprom could return to the European market if those countries chose to reengage. However, for now, it makes more sense to focus on alternative export channels that can compensate for the loss of that market," she said.
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