Trump says he can't say if Putin is friend or foe

[webfact]

Trump says he can't say if Putin is friend or foe

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam November 11, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he could not say if Vladimir Putin is a friend or foe, and that a meeting with the Russian president could be the easiest part of a tour of Europe that includes a NATO meeting and a visit to Britain.

 

Speaking to reporters at the White House before leaving on the week-long trip, Trump repeated his criticism of NATO allies for not spending enough on their defence and pointed to the political tensions in Britain over the government's Brexit plans.

 

"So I have NATO, I have the UK which is in somewhat turmoil, and I have Putin. Frankly Putin may be the easiest of them all. Who would think?" Trump said.

 

"We'll see how that goes," he said of the summit with Putin to be held in Helsinki on Monday.

 

Asked if Putin is a friend or foe, Trump said: "I really can't say right now. As far as I'm concerned, a competitor."

 

Trump, whose 2016 election campaign is being probed for possible collusion with Russia, has said repeatedly he wants to have a good relationship with Washington’s former Cold War foe, despite tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine, Syria and alleged election meddling around the world.

 

Trump has denied any collusion with Russia.

 

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Writing by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-11

[Topdoc]

He's a 'friend' unless you're a 'foe'

[JHolmesJr]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

Asked if Putin is a friend or foe, Trump said: "I really can't say right now. As far as I'm concerned, a competitor."

 

Imagine asking a career politician that...you would get half a page of pure, pre-scripted BS as a reply...I prefer the Donald's

reply.

[pegman]

Seems to be more of a master - servant relationship as long as Vlad has those pee pee tapes.

[zydeco]

If Putin is such a "foe" for Europe, then why doesn't Germany and the rest increase their defense readiness? And why are the Germans building a gas pipeline from Russia that will make them totally dependent on the Russians?

[Aj Mick]

Not "can't say"...... 

 

More a case of "Dare not say"

[zaphod reborn]

Trump out begging for more Russian oligarch money and desperately in need of election fixing help.  A total disgrace and a traitor.

[simple1]

1 hour ago, zydeco said:

If Putin is such a "foe" for Europe, then why doesn't Germany and the rest increase their defense readiness? And why are the Germans building a gas pipeline from Russia that will make them totally dependent on the Russians?

NATO has recently made a number of announcements aimed at increased defense readiness.

 

Trump needs to reevaluate, US isn't viewed as a particularly good option for supply of gas to the EU.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-18/germany-brushes-aside-u-s-objection-to-russia-gas-pipeline-link

[Becker]

Captain Bonespur, Traitor-In-Chief and King of the Swamp is continuing his work of alienating allies and moving closer to the dictator Putin.

Where is that massive heart attack when you need it!!

[bristolboy]

3 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

 

Imagine asking a career politician that...you would get half a page of pure, pre-scripted BS as a reply...I prefer the Donald's

reply.

Given that the Senate just passed a resolution 97-2 that endorsed NATO, I don't think there's much doubt how career politicians from left to right would answer that question.

[sanemax]

1 hour ago, zaphod reborn said:

Trump out begging for more Russian oligarch money and desperately in need of election fixing help.  A total disgrace and a traitor.

I didnt realise that .

How do you know that Trump is begging for money and how much is he asking for ?

[bristolboy]

I'm beginning to suspect that Trump likes Putin nearly as much as he likes Kim Jong Un.

 

[riclag]

1 hour ago, zaphod reborn said:

Trump out begging for more Russian oligarch money and desperately in need of election fixing help.  A total disgrace and a traitor.

How is he a traitor?Can you give me the court filing that charged him with treason or perhaps the conviction?

[watcharacters]

3 hours ago, pegman said:

Seems to be more of a master - servant relationship as long as Vlad has those pee pee tapes.

 

i  wonder when the pee pee tapes will be sold to the highest bidder and available on your local porn channel?

 

[klauskunkel]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Trump says he can't say if Putin is friend or foe

Maybe it takes another stable genius to tell which one it is.

Maybe he is a froe.

[Andaman Al]

Well with his criticism of NATO and praise of Putin,  it looks at long last that Trump has driven the Senate to work together in a truly bipartisan nature for the country at last. Believe it or not, in the age of Trump, the Senate just passed a bill rebuking President Trump with 97 votes to 2, YES that is NINETY SEVEN VOTES TO TWO. A worthwhile 16 mins of your life to spend to be shown that maybe there is hope. This is a DEMOCRAT introduced bill and agreed in the Senate 97-2, well knock me over with a feather!

 

 

 

 

[Ks45672]

3 hours ago, zydeco said:

If Putin is such a "foe" for Europe, then why doesn't Germany and the rest increase their defense readiness? And why are the Germans building a gas pipeline from Russia that will make them totally dependent on the Russians?

Because its the cheapest place to get their gas?...... 

[Emster23]

That Trump lacks the mental capacity to tell friend from foe shows some of the depth of his ignorance and/or outright stupidity.

[DoctorG]

We are truly blessed here on TVF to have so many economic and foreign affairs experts. Who would have thought?

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, DoctorG said:

We are truly blessed here on TVF to have so many economic and foreign affairs experts. Who would have thought?

For all we know there may actuall be some resident at the white house. But they're not much use if POTUS doesn't avail himself of their services.

[johnnybangkok]

Here I'll help you Donald. He's a foe.

 

[maximillian]

4 hours ago, zydeco said:

If Putin is such a "foe" for Europe, then why doesn't Germany and the rest increase their defense readiness? And why are the Germans building a gas pipeline from Russia that will make them totally dependent on the Russians?

Well, NATO without US is already spending some 300 Billion $ on defense while Russia's defense budget is less than 70 Billion $.  So why should they increase their spendings ?

Germany has experienced Russia as a very reliable trade partner. Nothing to worry about being dependend on Russian Gas. Better do away with those ridiculous propaganda and sanctions against Russia and try to maintain a good relationship with them.

[maximillian]

1 hour ago, Ks45672 said:

Because its the cheapest place to get their gas?...... 

 

Cheaper and more reliable than american fracking gas, for sure.

If one has to buy billions of cubic meters of gas the price is crucial, isn't it ?

[bristolboy]

20 minutes ago, maximillian said:

Well, NATO without US is already spending some 300 Billion $ on defense while Russia's defense budget is less than 70 Billion $.  So why should they increase their spendings ?

Germany has experienced Russia as a very reliable trade partner. Nothing to worry about being dependend on Russian Gas. Better do away with those ridiculous propaganda and sanctions against Russia and try to maintain a good relationship with them.

And if sweet, innocent, unoffending  Russia does to Latvia what it did to the Ukraine, Germany will be in much less of a position to do anything about it.

[micmichd]

1 hour ago, Ks45672 said:

Because its the cheapest place to get their gas?...... 

Not so sure that'll be a reliable connection. Russia could prefer to sell their gas to Asia (China, India) instead.

[sanemax]

2 hours ago, Emster23 said:

That Trump lacks the mental capacity to tell friend from foe shows some of the depth of his ignorance and/or outright stupidity.

Although not everyone fits into either the friend or foe category , there are other categories available for people to be in

[bristolboy]

21 minutes ago, micmichd said:

Not so sure that'll be a reliable connection. Russia could prefer to sell their gas to Asia (China, India) instead.

 It's not a question of either/or. A giant gas pipeline is being constructed to supply Russian gas to China. It should be operating by the end of 2018.

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

Although not everyone fits into either the friend or foe category , there are other categories available for people to be in

Sometimes they can be both. Putin's a friend to Trump and a foe of the United States.

[sanemax]

7 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Sometimes they can be both. Putin's a friend to Trump and a foe of the United States.

 

No, its that the USA and Russia agree on some things and disagree on other things , like , agree on North Korea but disagree on Syria and therefore Putin is neither friend or foe 

[bristolboy]

13 minutes ago, sanemax said:

 

No, its that the USA and Russia agree on some things and disagree on other things , like , agree on North Korea but disagree on Syria and therefore Putin is neither friend or foe 

Trump and Putin agree that there was no interference in US elections and the fact-based community disagrees.