【2005 Archives】

Vladimir Putin showed up in New York005 ArchivesThursday. Or at least a poster of him did.

A huge banner bearing an image of the Russian president, standing in front of the Russian and Syrian flags, had just one word on it —"peacemaker." It was draped over the Manhattan Bridge on Thursday afternoon. But it's not clear whether the poster's word choice was sarcastic or serious.

SEE ALSO: These Eton boys met Putin before the new Prime Minister

The 20-by-30-foot banner was removed by New York police a little more than an hour after it first went up, the New York Postreported. But so far, no one knows where the giant poster came from or the motive behind it.

A banner with the Russian & Syrian flags & Vladimir Putin in a suit with the phrase "Peace Maker" appeared on Manhattan Bridge in #NY #USA pic.twitter.com/1HMF6MYujz

— maytham (@maytham956) October 6, 2016

Twitter had a few ideas of its own.

For some, the sort of cozy camaraderie that has seemingly grown between Putin and Donald Trump made the Republican presidential candidate suspect No. 1. Beyond lucrative financial dealings in Russia, Trump has connected with the Kremlin through warm compliments about Putin, once calling him "a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond." 

I'm thinking there's about a 79% chance @realDonaldTrump hung that Putin banner over the Manhattan Bridge. pic.twitter.com/xuCG7oR6w0

— Sergio Grant (@sgrant525) October 6, 2016

Aww, how sweet - Trump hung a banner supporting his BFF Putin from the Manhattan Bridge. pic.twitter.com/5dXgqhZPWF

— Phillydude (@Fairwinds10) October 6, 2016

While it's not clear why the poster went up, there were at least a few people who saw it happen. A man whose office building faces the Manhattan Bridge told the New York Post he watched it go up.

“These two guys … they were struggling for a little bit, but eventually got it up,” Quinn Formel said. “We realized it was Putin and it was the Russian flag and it said ‘peacemaker’ and then after that we were all confused about what this is supposed to be saying or expressing — it’s not very clear.”

The use of the word "peacemaker" is interesting to say the least. Not just because of Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, but also given the collapse of its direct cease-fire negotiations with the United States over the conflict in Syria.

Tensions are still rising as Russia backs Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and the U.S. focuses on the removal of the Islamic State. Russia's defense ministry spokesman warned the U.S. on Thursday not to send airstrikes into areas with Russian troops.

"I would recommend our colleagues in Washington to carefully weigh possible consequences of the fulfillment of such plans," Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

On Wednesday, the Russian Embassy sent out an eerie tweet about the country's heightened military efforts in Syria, featuring White House press secretary Josh Earnest.

All jokes aside, #Russia will take every defensive measure necessary to protect its personnel stationed in #Syria from terrorist threat. pic.twitter.com/6vc4X9lGyT

— Russian Embassy, USA (@RusEmbUSA) October 5, 2016

Quite how the poster of Putin the "peacemaker" fits into all this remains to be seen.