In Vilnius, Lithuania, a mural depicts Russian President Vladimir Putin and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump embracing from the shoulders upward. Trump’s hand cups the back of Putin’s neck as they passionately kiss each other. Artist Mindaugas Bonanu has created the ultimate satire of modern politics, and it lies on the wall of a local Vilnius restaurant called Keule Reke.
Dominykas Čečkauskas, the co-owner of the restaurant, commissioned the mural, commenting to the Agence France-Presse, “We see many similarities between these two ‘heroes’ (Putin and Trump). They both have huge egos, and it’s amusing to see they are getting along well.” He also remarked, “It seems we have a new Cold War, and America may have a president who seeks friendship with Russia.”
The mural is based on the 1979 photo of East German President Erich Honecker and Soviet leader Leonid Brozhnev. In the photo, the two men were in a similar position, lips locked as they shared a socialist fraternal kiss, a ritual that typically doesn’t stray from platonic. The image, entitled “The Kiss,” was later painted onto the Berlin Wall with the caption “My God, help me to survive this deadly love” written directly below it.
Though the image of Putin and Trump kissing is clearly satirical, it also shows the fear and worry citizens inside and outside of Lithuania have toward a political liaison between the two men. With Čečkauskas’ comment about a new cold war, it’s clear that a wave of unease trails behind Trump’s ever-growing popularity. The fact that the mural lies in Lithuania also shows how the upcoming changes in politics affect thousands around the world and not just those in America and Russia.
Putin and Trump have made numerous favorable comments to each other, such as Trump’s remark that he would “get along very well” with the Russian president. Putin has also said that Trump is the “absolute leader in the presidential race,” according to the Washington Post.
Only time will tell whether we do or don’t have a new Cold War in our midst. Regardless, the satirical painting of Putin and Trump locking lips on the side of a Lithuanian restaurant has just as clear a message as the 1979 “The Kiss” did.If Trump does become the next president of the United States, how the two world leaders’ policies overlap and how their relationship functions are two things to keep in mind.
Overall, “My God, help me to survive this deadly love” is a perfect summary for the future.