Over two weeks ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin was personally picked up by US President Donald Trump in "The Beast" for their summit in Alaska. Last week, the Kremlin leader himself employed "backseat diplomacy," not once, but twice, in China.

On 1/9, President Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi rode in a Russian-made Aurus Senat limousine from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin to their bilateral meeting.

The journey, expected to take about 15 minutes, stretched to nearly an hour as the two leaders engaged in discussions within the armored vehicle equipped with state-of-the-art amenities.

On 3/9, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un became Putin's next guest, joining him in his limousine from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for bilateral talks, reaffirming the growing relationship between their countries.

Observers note the Aurus Senat limousine Putin brought to China is an ideal tool for personal diplomacy, fostering intimacy between leaders.

Before inviting Modi into the car, Putin held his hand as they walked together on the sidelines of the SCO summit. They entered the vehicle before Russian and Indian media.

"Right now, President Putin and Prime Minister Modi have decided to ride together," Pavel Zarubin, a journalist accompanying the Russian leader, whispered excitedly, panning his mobile phone camera from the SCO summit's red carpet to the waiting limousine.

"It was decided just a few minutes ago. Nobody knew about it," Zarubin continued as the two leaders settled into the Aurus Senat's backseat.

"The two leaders felt at home and comfortable, so they continued their conversation," Putin's spokesperson explained the hour-long shared ride.

The trip, widely reported by Russian state television, is seen as Putin asserting his international standing over three years after the conflict with Ukraine began and led to his isolation by the West.

Modi later shared a photo of himself and Putin inside the limousine. "Conversations with him are always insightful," Modi posted on X alongside the picture.

Modi and Putin inside the Russian President's car in China on 1/9. Photo: X/narendramodi

At a 3/9 press conference in Beijing, Putin revealed he had spoken with Modi about his summit with the US President in Alaska the previous month. "There are no secrets," he stated.

Putin is known for his "limo diplomacy." He shared a ride with Saudi Arabian President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Moscow last year. He also chauffeured Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi around Sochi in 2018, shortly after the Aurus Senat's debut.

In February 2024, Putin gifted Kim Jong-un an Aurus for his birthday. Months later, during a state visit to Pyongyang, they took turns driving another Aurus, also a gift from Putin.

The Kremlin released a video showing Putin at the wheel, chatting amiably, while Kim smiled beside him.

Putin and Kim share a car in Beijing on 3/9. Photo: KCNA

The recent shared rides with Modi and Kim highlight how the world has changed since Putin showed off his personal car to US President George W. Bush during a 2005 state visit to Russia.

According to RIA Novosti, before dinner at his residence, Putin let Bush drive his Soviet-era Volga Gaz-21.

As Bush drove to a group of waiting journalists, he joked that Putin was giving him "driving lessons." Earlier, in November 2011, the two leaders took a ride in Bush's white pickup truck around his Texas ranch.

In the 1990s, Russian leaders primarily used Mercedes and other Western-made vehicles. As Russia's economy boomed in the early 2000s, luxury Western cars became highly sought after and filled Moscow's streets.

Russia's Aurus company began developing a luxury vehicle for the president in 2013. According to reports when the car debuted in 2018, Porsche and Bosch assisted with engine development. The car was immediately dubbed the "Russian Rolls-Royce."

Each model in the Aurus Cortege luxury line is named after a Kremlin tower. Putin's armored Senat limousine is named after the 15th-century Senate Tower.

US President George W. Bush and President Putin drive a Volga in Odintsovsky, Russia, in 2005. Photo: AFP

The car debuted in 2018 at Putin's summit with Trump in Helsinki, Finland.

The models became commercially available in 2021. An Aurus Senat starts at 48.5 million roubles, approximately 600,000 USD, according to the manufacturer's website.

Vu Hoang (According to AP, AFP, Reuters)