Vladimir Putin stood, walked around his desk and gave me his hand. I took it and turned to the bodyguards?
?This is Mayor Vitali Klitschko of Kiev, calling for President Vladimir Putin,? I said.
?Just a minute, sir.?
One minute had become fifteen when the receptionist returned and said, ?President Putin is in meetings and will not be able to take your call.?
?Tomorrow, then.?
?Sorry, no.?
I hung up and arranged for a private flight early next morning from Kiev to Moscow. At an airport in Moscow I smiled at passengers and security officials, shaking hands, signing autographs, and said I had to hurry for important business of state.
?Just a few pictures, please,? they said.
I genially posed with men and women young and old and their children and grandchildren and put up my dukes for a couple of teenagers who yearned to become heavyweight champion like me. ?Get your education,? I said.
A limousine awaited my two aides and me, and as I entered I said, ?To the Kremlin.?
As we neared the seat of Russian power, several cordons of security guards and agents began stopping our vehicle. Each time I popped out, beaming as I pumped hands and slapped backs, saying the Kremlin was beautiful and the ideal place to talk to President Putin. No one questioned this until the final stop when the agent lifted his phone, spoke, waited, and then said, ?Mayor Klitschko, you have no appointment with President Putin.?
?Tell him it?s about judo. I just want a quick lesson. He?s a black belt, you know. And I?ll show him how to throw power punches. He?s great at hurling people over his hip, but he needs better striking.?
The agent looked at me quizzically but quoted me accurately and, presumably to an aide several interior lines from Putin, said, ?Hold on.?
A few minutes later he announced, ?President Putin will see you, but only for a short time. He?s having meetings about the crisis.?
Walking through guards, aides, and assorted others I nodded at my assistants to be seated in the lobby and entered the office of Vladimir Putin who I thought was sitting but was standing, about a foot shorter than I.
?Mr. President, it?s a pleasure. You?re looking fit, as always.?
I extended my hand and hope I didn?t break his.
?Please, sit down,? he said, motioning to a chair in front of his desk. Two bodyguards lurked several paces behind me.
?Three hundred people have just died in the crash of the Malaysian airliner over my country, and millions of us believe you?re responsible.?
?That?s contrary to your stated purpose of this visit, and also a subject you?re unwise to introduce as your position is indefensible.?
?It is you, Mr. President, who has no defense.?
?Mayor Klitschko, let me teach a renowned pugilist, who knows so little about politics, particularly international politics, what dynamics are at work. ?The state over whose territory this happened bears responsibility for this terrible tragedy. This tragedy would not have happened if there were peace in this land.? There is no peace in Ukraine because your government is violently suppressing the desires for freedom of people sympathetic to Russia.?
?Mr. President, listening to that makes me feel like a veteran diplomat having to lecture a naughty little boy. In fact, Russian operatives are and have been agitating in eastern Ukraine. The Russians, and that means you personally, have armed these traitors with sophisticated antiaircraft missiles such as the one just used to murder three hundred people.?
?Do you not follow the news, Mr. Mayor? Ukrainian patriots have already explained they have no access to sophisticated weaponry and anyway lack the expertise to operate it.?
?Your Russian-fed rebels are lying and so are you.?
?This meeting is at an end, Mr. Mayor.?
Vladimir Putin stood, walked around his desk and gave me his hand. I took it and turned to the bodyguards, ?Gentlemen, will you please let me speak privately to the president for a moment.?
?Much too busy for that,? said Putin, retrieving his hand. ?When things cool off, let?s work out.?
George Thomas Clark is the author of several books, most recently Death in the Ring, a collection of boxing stories, and The Bold Investor, a short story collection. See the author?s website at www.GeorgeThomasClark.com.
