“Donald Fredovich Trumpsky, congratulations on your marvelous victory!”

“Thanks Vladimir.”

“America is the land of Manafort Destiny, isn’t that your expression? I like it; it conveys that is predestined and also militaristic.”

“And I intend to restore that to America.”

“You are a lot like me, my friend.”

“Thanks.  I owe you a great deal.”

“I know, I know — and there will be plenty of time to pay me back.”

“What sort of timeframe were you thinking?”

“Four years.  Perhaps eight.”

“I am already greatly indebted to your banks.”

“I am well aware of that, my friend. Not much happens in Russia without my knowledge.”

“That’s why you are a strong leader!”

“Indeed.  I maintain a particular interest in matters concerning the economics of the United States of America.”

“And my businesses.”

“They are one and the same, are they not?”

“That’s what I love about you Vladimir.  You have the proper perspective.”

“We were quite happy  to save your businesses.  Although there is a delicious irony in the fact that a great American capitalist had to be saved by a former Soviet spy, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, well I’ve tried not to play that up to much.  It’s important to keep private arrangements private.”

“Don’t I know it.  I’ve had no small amount of grief over the revelation in those Panama Papers that I had my surrogates set up all of those off-shore accounts.”

So I hope–”

“–Don’t worry my friend, your secret is safe with me.  As long as we have an understanding.”

“What kind of understanding?”

“That you not criticize anything I do, whether it is to reinstate the ‘special relationship’ Russia has with its surrounding territories–”

“–You mean your neighbors?”

“Yes, that’s EXACTLY what I mean.”

“Don’t worry.  I have not criticized you on that, and I don’t intend to start now.  I even said you would never go into Crimea or Ukraine–”

“–When I had already been in there for over a year.  Yes, I heard that.”

“And I have criticized NATO, rather than criticizing you.”

“Yes, I can see that you have a sharper understanding of geopolitical realities in our part of the world than your predecessors.”

“Thank you.”

“You are a very sharp tool, Mr. President-Elect.”

“Thank  you.  You say nice things about me, and I’ll say nice things about you.”

“Yes, I understand that is how it works.  You can count on me to continue to do that.”

“Likewise, Mr. President.”