JUST AN IRONIC THOUGHT - ON THE PERCEPTIONS OF PRESIDENT PUTIN'S VICTORY IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION ELECTIONS. PART 5.

Although, being aware of the tension, the mutual but noticeable contempt they share for each other, and his own tendency towards being arrogant, when he is feeling insecure.  

He was not entirely without some doubt as to whether he might not have failed to do so.

That be as it may, President Putin felt sure that he had received a call from Angela Merkel. 

He distinctly remembered the phone ringing and him taking it up and, without having waited for the person to declare him/herself. 

He remembered saying, 'Vladimir Putin zdes'! Vladimir Putin here! 

The President distinctly remembered the controlled and authoritative, no nonsense voice of Angela Merkel emanating from the handset.  Saying 'Of course it is you, Vlad; who else would it have been? '

'I just want to congratulate you on securing, I mean, winning your fourth term as President of the Russian Federation. You are now in an elite club, Vlad, like I am. I will wait to see what you make of this term.'

No sooner had Angela Merkel completed the sentence, and President Putin began to form the 'D' to say, 'danken', 'thank you', than she hung up the phone. President Putin recalled. 

But now was not the time to for him to reflect on how 'it doesn't rain but pours', as his thoughts move onto the call he received from POTUS.

This was definitely a call he did not expect, he reflected. Not with the Congress of the United States, both Republicons and Democrats, almost to a man and a woman. 

Being so relentless and focused on apparently bringing about the downfall, the second defeat of the Russia. 

Not with his 'expectant friend', Donald John Trump, in the guise of being the President of the United States of America, continuing to mete out economic and political and diplomatic sanctions on Russia. 

Not with the United States taking every opportunity to make Russia's intervention in Syria, increasing costly in Russian lives exterminated and livelihoods destroyed. 

To be continued!