Data collection and text: Julia Lasiota ; Maps: Natalia Matiaszczyk
In 2024, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin attended an intense series of diplomatic meetings, taking part in more than 170 events — live meetings as well as telephone calls — involving abroad leaders and representatives.
Putin's activity was characterised by further isolation from the countries of the democratic planet due to continued conflict in Ukraine, deepening dependence on China and intensifying contacts with the countries of the Global South. Much of his diplomacy Putin carried out in Russia, hosting abroad visitors or conducting distant talks.
The direction of Putinian diplomacy may be evidence of a deliberate defensive strategy, consisting in strengthening relations with countries outside the West. In 2024 Putin did not visit the European Union or NATO, and contacts with Western representatives were limited to multilateral formats or intermediaries. Therefore, increased contacts with African and Asian leaders indicate an effort to keep Russia's image as a global player despite expanding global pressure.
Asia, Africa and post-miss states were the backbone of Russian abroad policy. Whether the talks afraid energy, military, atomic or economical cooperation, the actions of the Russian president show that the Kremlin is trying to build an alternate network of global links in opposition to the Western world.
Vladimir Putin's visits in 2025 – first half of the year
In the first half of 2025, Russian president Vladimir Putin continued diplomatic activity akin to the trends of the erstwhile year, participating in over 100 global events (as of July 10). As in 2024, most meetings took place in Russia, mainly in Moscow and Petersburg.
Putinian diplomacy remains in the shadow of the war in Ukraine, tensions about atomic security, sanctions and tensions with Western states. Faced with this isolation, the Russian president's top activity was recorded in akin regions — Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, mediate East and North Africa, Belarus, and the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia. Despite the apparent diplomatic continuation compared to last year, it may seem a bit amazing to have a advanced number of contacts with North American representatives resulting from Donald Trump's return to the White House. The presidents of Russia and the US maintained telephone contacts. Putin besides met with a peculiar U.S. envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Moscow.
Russia continued to strategically deepen ties with countries outside the Western circle, but it is worth mentioning a fewer exceptions. In addition to contacts with US politicians, Putin held a telephone conversation with French president Emanuel Macron and met with Slovak president Robert Fico in Moscow on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of triumph Day. However, the West remained out of direct scope of the Russian president as Putin did not visit any European Union country or NATO member.
The directions of these meetings indicate that the Kremlin is inactive trying to keep the position of a global player, conducting dialog with selected economic, military and political partners — distant from Western institutions and formats, although there is simply a certain breach of ongoing isolation.
