Swedish professor Anders Åslund, known for his expertise in international economics and Russian affairs, faced criticism from JD Vance, the U.S. Vice President, after expressing skepticism about a meeting between President Trump and Vladimir Putin. Åslund's remarks on Trump's diplomatic approach sparked a heated exchange, highlighting concerns over the administration's tolerance for opposition.
Anders Åslund Responds to JD Vance's Mockery: A Thought-Provoking Exchange
Anders Åslund Responds to JD Vance's Mockery: A Thought-Provoking Exchange
JD Vance mocked Swedish professor Anders Åslund following his criticism of the Trump administration.
Anders Åslund, a professor of international economics and a Russia expert based in Washington DC, posted a message on X earlier this week. In it, he expressed skepticism about the upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He wrote, among other things:
"Regardless of what Trump does in Alaska, it is likely to be a major disaster for the USA (...) due to his anti-democratic and imperialist views and his ignorance."
The post was picked up by JD Vance, Trump's close ally and the U.S. Vice President.
"A person who has misunderstood almost every major issue over the past 30 years is angry at the U.S. President for engaging in diplomacy," Vance wrote about Åslund in another post on X.
The Response: "Pleasant – but Frightening"
Anders Åslund described the attention as "pleasant" when he appeared on SVT's Aktuellt on Thursday evening.
– But on the other hand, it is frightening considering that the Trump administration tolerates very little opposition.
His criticism of the presidential meeting remains.
– The basis is that Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff completely misunderstood what Putin said. Witkoff thought that Putin offered to withdraw Russian troops from two Ukrainian regions, where they hold half and half, he says on SVT and continues:
– But instead, Putin demanded that Ukraine withdraw from these regions. This led Trump to say that the meeting should be about redistributing land.