Cold War redux in more ways than one: Russia and the U.S. look to thaw relations in the hockey rink
This week Russian President Vladimir Putin revived the Cold War tradition of taking geopolitics onto the ice, suggesting in a call to President Donald Trump that American and Russian skaters play matches against each other.diplomacy.
Faceoffs and power plays aren’t just hockey terms — they’re the language of international diplomacy.
This week, Russian President Vladimir Putin revived the Cold War tradition of taking geopolitics onto the ice, suggesting in a call to President Donald Trump that American and Russian skaters play matches against each other.
While the challenge is yet to be accepted, it’s an idea with deep roots in the Soviet era, when hockey became a proxy arena in which to address geopolitical tensions. Most notably for Americans, the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” saw a largely amateur American team defeat the mighty Soviet “Red Machine.”
But rather than seeking “war by other means” — as the sport is often known — Russia’s hockey fanatic leader likely wants to use the rink as a way to end his country’s pariah status, both in terms of politics and sports, experts say.
Russian President Vladimir Putin during an ice hockey match in Sochi in 2020.Alexander Zemlianichenko / POOL / AFP via Getty Images file“Putin’s overarching goal is to break out of diplomatic isolation,” said Gary Smith, a former Canadian diplomat posted to Moscow who understands hockey diplomacy better than most.
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