Why Epstein desperately sought a meeting with Putin

A package of documents from the Epstein files reveals Jeffrey Epstein's long-standing attempts to establish direct contact with Vladimir Putin. The correspondence, which is included in materials released by the U.S. Department of Justice, contains requests to arrange a meeting, discuss travel plans, and find a way to obtain a Russian visa. However, the documents themselves do not indicate that Epstein and Putin ever met.

The Independent reports.

Epstein begged all his friends and associates in the Kremlin to arrange a meeting with Putin

Requests for Russian visas, conversations about dinner in Paris, and persistent requests to "get him into the Kremlin" are just some of the items that have emerged from the documents in the "Epstein files." Several episodes describe how Epstein tried for years to establish contact with Putin.

The materials include letters and messages in which the financier seeks intermediaries, discusses potential meeting locations, and suggests topics such as investing in Russia and digital currencies. However, the published correspondence does not confirm that such a meeting took place.

According to the authors of the publication, journalists from The Independent claim that Putin's name is mentioned 1,055 times. Most of these mentions are brief, appearing primarily in media bulletins and reference materials sent to Epstein's email.

Epstein asked top officials in several countries to facilitate a meeting with Putin

A separate group of letters concerns attempts to arrange meetings and establish contacts.

The documents reveal that Epstein's interest in Russia was practical: he sought to promote foreign investment and foster economic discussions. From at least 2013 to 2018, it is noted that the financier persuaded acquaintances to help organize a meeting, insisting on "real time" and confidentiality.

One episode mentions that he allegedly canceled a planned meeting in St. Petersburg because of the requirements for the negotiations' format. However, it is unclear from the text whether the Russian side had actually confirmed the meeting.

According to excerpts from correspondence in August 2011, Epstein discussed the possibility of a meeting with Putin in the US with Emirati businessman Ahmed bin Sulayem, stating that "the option of a meeting in Sochi is unlikely."

The documents also mention Thorbjørn Jagland, the former Prime Minister of Norway and Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who had working contacts with the Russian leadership.

The letters show that Epstein repeatedly discussed the idea of arranging a meeting with Jagland, who responded by explaining that, during potential negotiations, Epstein would have to personally present his proposals to Putin.

As the text indicates, Jagland replied that he would meet with Lavrov's assistant and "make an offer," while Epstein responded that Churkin "understood Trump" after their conversations and that the logic of interaction was simple: one must see that they are getting something in return.

During the same period, Epstein also contacted Ehud Barak, the former prime minister of Israel. In his correspondence, Epstein wrote that he wanted to meet with Putin in June for the first time to discuss ways to encourage Western investment in Russia.

One detail in the publication concerns the summer of 2014. Epstein received a letter from a contact informing him that he had been unable to convince "Reid" to change his schedule so that the meeting with Putin could take place. Epstein then allegedly wrote back that it was now a "bad idea" because of the plane crash.

The new set of documents contains another story from 2010: an email exchange between Epstein and someone with the username "Duke." The email suggests that Epstein arranged a dinner between Prince Andrew and a 26-year-old Russian woman. Epstein described her as intelligent, beautiful, and trustworthy and noted that she had the email address of the person he was communicating with.

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