When the limousine became Russian President Putin's 'mobile meeting room'

Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin has continuously used limousines as a diplomatic tool, enhancing the prestige of luxury cars produced in this country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin chat in a limousine in Tianjin, China, on September 1. (Source: X/@narendramodi)

President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ride in a Russian-made Aurus limousine in China on September 1. The trip was from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) 2025 Summit to the bilateral meeting in Tianjin.

The private space in the car allowed the two leaders to have intimate conversations. The short journey was only about 15 minutes, but the comfortable discussion on many issues between the two leaders continued for the next 45 minutes in the car.

Then, on September 3, President Putin again invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the "mobile conference room" limousine Aurus from a reception in Beijing to the guest house, where the two sides continued bilateral talks, reaffirming the increasingly close cooperative relationship.

Mr. Putin's use of the Aurus limousine in meetings with foreign leaders shows the trend of applying "car diplomacy " - both promoting Russian industrial products and creating a flexible exchange space, complementing official diplomatic activities.

More than half a month ago, Mr. Putin also traveled in US President Donald Trump's armored limousine to attend the Summit in Alaska.

The Kremlin has portrayed the trips as evidence of the leaders’ status and warm reception of Mr Putin, putting aside issues related to the conflict in Ukraine. Russian media have given them glowing coverage, with images of the leaders relaxing in limousines.

Meanwhile, Mr. Modi also posted a photo on social network X with the caption: "Talking to him (Mr. Putin) always brings many insights." Mr. Putin's spokesman described this as creating a "home field advantage" in conversations.

This is not the first time Putin has used "car diplomacy". Last year, Putin sat with Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Mohammed bin Zayed in Moscow. In 2018, Putin also took Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi around Sochi in the newly launched Aurus model. Notably, he also gave North Korean leader Kim Jong Un an Aurus on his birthday last year.

Such occasions allow Mr. Putin to present the Aurus model to world leaders, turning it into a diplomatic tool and an opportunity to enhance the prestige of Russian-made luxury cars abroad.

Mr. Putin's deployment of "limousine diplomacy" while being a guest of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was chairing the SCO conference in the eastern Chinese city of Tianjin, attracted special attention from local and international media.

Mr. Putin and Mr. Kim Jong Un relaxed in a "mobile meeting room" in Beijing, China on September 3. (Source: KCNA)

On the other hand, the choice of the Aurus model for diplomatic space is also discussed. The Russian company Aurus began developing a luxury presidential car in 2013. Porsche and Bosch helped develop the car's engine, according to media reports published when the car was launched in 2018. The car was immediately branded "Our Rolls-Royce" in Russia.

Each model in the Aurus Cortege luxury car line is named after a tower in the Kremlin. Putin's Senat armored limousine is named after the 15th-century Senate Tower.

The Aurus was first used in public when Mr. Putin was re-elected president in 2018, and made his first foreign trip that same year to attend the Helsinki Summit between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump.

These luxury cars have been on sale since 2021. An Aurus Senat starts at 48.5 million rubles, or about $600,000.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/khi-xe-limousine-tro-thanh-phong-hop-mobile-cua-tong-thong-nga-putin-327007.html