Putin Made Chilling Comment to Patriots Owner Before Sticking Super Bowl Ring in Pocket and Stealing It
A story about an interaction between Russian President Vladimir Putin and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has taken on new meaning amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to the Irish Mirror, Kraft visited Russia in 2005 following the Patriots’ victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.
Kraft said he met with Putin during the visit, and Putin took a keen interest in Kraft’s Super Bowl champion ring.
“I took out the ring and showed it to [Putin], and he put it on and he goes, ‘I can kill someone with this ring,'” Kraft said.
Putin did not stop at admiring the ring, though. Kraft said when he signaled his desire for Putin to return the ring, it did not go over as planned.
“I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out,” Kraft said.
According to the UK Mirror, Kraft said he had no intention of giving the ring to Putin, and he was not happy about losing it.
However, Kraft said the White House told him the issue at hand was actually much larger than a piece of jewelry. He said a White House official told him, “it would really be in the best interest of US-Soviet relations if you meant to give the ring as a present.”
Of course, the interaction was not truly a gift exchange — it was much closer to a strong-arm robbery. Kraft said he hesitated to accept that he would not get his ring back.
“I really didn’t [want to],” he said according to the UK Mirror. “I had an emotional tie to the ring, it has my name on it. I don’t want to see it on eBay.”
But the White House was hardly sympathetic to Kraft’s situation, at least not as he remembers it.
“There was a pause on the other end of the line, and the voice repeated, ‘It would really be in the best interest if you meant to give the ring as a present,'” Kraft said.
This story is in many ways indicative of the person Putin is. In his mind, what’s his is his, and what isn’t his yet is there for the taking.
This is the exact line of thinking that may have led Putin to justify invading Ukraine. Even though he has no legitimate claim to the region, he feels like he wants it, and that is all it takes in his mind for him to try and take it.
In addition, the United States’ response to the 2005 situation was eerily similar to the current administration’s response to the Ukraine crisis.
President Joe Biden can impose sanctions and issue “strong declarations” to Putin all he wants, but when it comes down to it, he does not want to challenge him.
To be clear, this does not mean the U.S. should start a war. Russia and Ukraine’s conflicts are, at least in large part, problems for Russia and Ukraine to deal with.
However, Biden’s inability to present a strong U.S. front may very well have contributed to this situation. One reason Putin feels like he can do whatever he wants is that he does not fear any potential response from the U.S.
Whether it’s a piece of jewelry or an entire country, the premise remains the same. Eventually, someone must show Putin he cannot keep taking things that aren’t his.
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