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Trump and Putin to hold first summit talks as twitchy West looks on

By Steve Holland and Andrew Osborn

 

FILE PHOTO: Russia's President Vladimir Putin talks to U.S. President Donald Trump during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

 

HELSINKI (Reuters) - After months of exchanging long-distance compliments, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin sit down on Monday for their first ever summit, a potential political minefield at home for the U.S. president but a geopolitical win for his Russian counterpart.

 

Neither side expects major breakthroughs from the talks in the Finnish capital beyond warm words, an agreement to begin repairing battered U.S.-Russia relations, and maybe a deal to start talks on issues such as nuclear arms control and Syria.

 

The two men, who have praised each other's leadership qualities from afar, could also agree to start restocking their respective embassies and returning confiscated diplomatic property after a wave of expulsions and retaliatory action prompted by the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain.

 

Ahead of the summit, both sides talked down the event, however, with Trump telling CBS he was going in with "low expectations" and John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser, saying on ABC's "This Week" that the United States was not looking for "deliverables" and that the meeting would be "unstructured."

 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russia's RT TV station that he also had low expectations. He would regard the summit as a success if there was an agreement to merely reopen severed lines of communications across the board, he said.

 

For Putin, the fact that the summit is even happening despite Russia's semi-pariah status among some Americans and U.S. allies is a geopolitical win because, in Russian eyes, it shows that Washington recognises Moscow as a great power whose interests must be taken into account.

 

For Russia, it is also a powerful sign that Western efforts to isolate Moscow have failed.

 

But for Trump, whose White House victory was actively supported by 12 Russian military intelligence agents, according to a recent U.S. indictment, and whose entourage is still being investigated for possible collusion with Moscow, the meeting is freighted with domestic political risk.

 

"We can say confidently that Putin's political risks are lower than those of President Trump," said Andrey Kortunov, head of RIAC, a Moscow think-tank close to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

 

"Putin has less to lose and more to gain because he does not have a domestic opposition, a potentially hostile legislature, and is not begin investigated like Trump. But if you look at the U.S. media they mostly focus on potential risks. Nobody there really believes that any good can come out of this summit."

 

A probe over allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election has clouded Trump's presidency. Trump has denied any collusion with the Russians by his campaign and Russia denies it meddled.

 

The Helsinki summit is the capstone to a nearly week-long trip for Trump during which he has sown doubts about his commitment to the NATO military alliance, Washington's so-called special relationship with Britain, and U.S. relations with the European Union that he called "a foe" in trade terms.

 

Against that backdrop and swirling uncertainty about what Trump might do or say next, his summit with Putin, which will include a one-on-one session with the Russian leader with only interpreters present, has both U.S. allies and U.S. politicians worried lest he make hasty and sweeping concessions.

 

U.S. FEARS

Some politicians in the West believe the summit is happening at one of the most crucial junctures for the West since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union. Certain NATO allies fear Putin might seek a grand deal that would undermine the U.S.-led transatlantic alliance.

 

Trump has said that he will raise the alleged Russian election meddling with Putin but does not expect to get anywhere, has spoken vaguely about the possibility of halting NATO war games in the Baltic region, and has said repeatedly that it would be good if he could get along with Russia.

 

When asked last month if he would recognise Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, he replied: "We're going to have to see."

 

On Friday, 12 Russians were indicted on charges of interfering in the U.S. 2016 election, a development that prompted some Democratic leaders to call on Trump to cancel the Putin meeting, a demand he quickly dismissed.

 

On the summit's eve, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a political opponent of Trump, said he had told Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the Helsinki meeting was a mistake.

 

"First, I don't believe the meeting should take place but if it is going to happen, President Trump must press Putin hard on the issue of election interference. He can't simply raise it, accept Putin's denial and then let him off the hook," Schumer said in a statement.

 

"Second, the President must demand that the 12 Russians named in the indictment be sent to the U.S. to stand trial. And third, President Trump should not agree to weaken, lift, or curtail any of the sanctions on Russia."

 

Any Trump request for Russia to extradite hacking suspects is likely to fall on deaf ears, however, as the Kremlin, citing the Russian constitution, has a policy of not handing over suspects wanted by other countries.

 

Many Western politicians remain angry over Russia's annexation of Crimea, its backing of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, and its support for Syria's Bashar al-Assad.

 

Other accusations, denied by Moscow, include that it meddled in European politics, supplied the weapon that shot down a passenger plane in 2014 over Ukraine, and was behind the poisoning of the former Russian spy in Britain.

 

Moscow would love to have U.S. sanctions - initially imposed over the Crimea annexation - eased and eventually lifted. But most in Russia do not expect the summit to produce such an outcome.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Andrew Osborn, additional reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-16

[Dmaxdan]

I get a mental picture of these two playing a game of military Top Trumps. My tank is bigger than your tank....

[Chomper Higgot]

Treason in plain sight.

[NanLaew]

8 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Treason in plain sight.

Huh? I didn't see Hillary Clinton's name mentioned anywhere in that article.

[Chomper Higgot]

6 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Huh? I didn't see Hillary Clinton's name mentioned anywhere in that article.

Clinton isn’t meeting with the man who ordered the attack on the US election.

 

Doh!

[Peterw42]

1 hour ago, Dmaxdan said:

I get a mental picture of these two playing a game of military Top Trumps. My tank is bigger than your tank....

I think size has a lot to do with it but its not tanks they are comparing.

[bristolboy]

22 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Clinton isn’t meeting with the man who ordered the attack on the US election.

 

Doh!

Or revealed highly classified Israeli intelligence to the Russians. Though, I suppose, to be fair, that probably was due to cluelessness rather than traitorous intent.

[sammieuk1]

The Novichocks on us  you.

[Guest]

Now that USA has descended to internal chaos, which unfortunately reflects to the western unity, should we start thinking of new terms for eastern and western societies?

 

USA used to be the biggest supporter of western values, along with EU. Now it seems that USA is more inclined to have Russia as it's friend. One might claim that it's only Trump, but the reality is that he has the power, along with Republican party, who support him. Trump represents USA in global arena.

 

Europe tends to still support traditional western values. Let's make business, support freedom of the press and people (liberalism), care for the people who are not as fortunate as we are.

 

 

 

 

[bristolboy]

53 minutes ago, oilinki said:

Now that USA has descended to internal chaos, which unfortunately reflects to the western unity, should we start thinking of new terms for eastern and western societies?

 

USA used to be the biggest supporter of western values, along with EU. Now it seems that USA is more inclined to have Russia as it's friend. One might claim that it's only Trump, but the reality is that he has the power, along with Republican party, who support him. Trump represents USA in global arena.

 

Europe tends to still support traditional western values. Let's make business, support freedom of the press and people (liberalism), care for the people who are not as fortunate as we are.

 

 

 

 

Republican party supports Trump despite his infatuation with Putin. Not because of it. It doesn't excuse them, but it doesn't mean that as a whole they are fans of Putin. Although, on the other hand, lots and lots of Trump supporters share Trump's crush.

"A quarter of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (25%) said they had a favorable view of Putin overall, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January before the Russian leader’s re-election. Just 9% of Democrats and Democratic leaners had a favorable view of Putin. About three-quarters of Democrats (76%), on the other hand, held an unfavorable view of the Russian president, compared with a smaller majority of Republicans (62%)."

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/26/putin-remains-overwhelmingly-unpopular-in-the-united-states/

[Emster23]

Chess grandmaster versus 5 year old. No need to worry.....

[wombat]

2 hours ago, oilinki said:

Now that USA has descended to internal chaos, which unfortunately reflects to the western unity, should we start thinking of new terms for eastern and western societies?

 

USA used to be the biggest supporter of western values, along with EU. Now it seems that USA is more inclined to have Russia as it's friend. One might claim that it's only Trump, but the reality is that he has the power, along with Republican party, who support him. Trump represents USA in global arena.

 

Europe tends to still support traditional western values. Let's make business, support freedom of the press and people (liberalism), care for the people who are not as fortunate as we are.

 

 

 

 

the EU has western values?

 

[bristolboy]

13 minutes ago, wombat said:

the EU has western values?

 

I suspect you think western values has something to do with the Wild West. So, no, it's not about the 2nd amendment but free markets, freedom of speech, rule of law, no kleptocracies. That kind of thing.

[quandow]

1 hour ago, wombat said:

the EU has western values?

 

Trump publicly declared the EU a foe. How can a foe embrace your values yet remain a foe? Or was Trump just having a brain fart?

Edited July 16, 2018 by quandow

[Redline]

6 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Huh? I didn't see Hillary Clinton's name mentioned anywhere in that article.

 That’s because she is running the deep state and the dark web, and maybe even her own currency by now ?

[Redline]

6 hours ago, bristolboy said:

Or revealed highly classified Israeli intelligence to the Russians. Though, I suppose, to be fair, that probably was due to cluelessness rather than traitorous intent.

Trump did that with Israeli intelligence in Syria ?

[BuaBS]

From the news :

Putin landed in Helsinki about 40 minutes behind schedule, and was expected to head directly to the summit. The two leaders will hold a one-on-one with only interpretors, followed by a working lunch accompanied by advisers.

 

Really ? Such an important summit and only less than a day of meetings ? It should be at least a couple of days .

[Becker]

3 minutes ago, BuaBS said:

From the news :

Putin landed in Helsinki about 40 minutes behind schedule, and was expected to head directly to the summit. The two leaders will hold a one-on-one with only interpretors, followed by a working lunch accompanied by advisers.

 

Really ? Such an important summit and only less than a day of meetings ? It should be at least a couple of days .

Really?

[Tug]

The republicans are treading lightly because of the midterms after that it will be a different ball game for the traitor in chief he is about to get played like a violin I would search that clown before I would let him sit with Putin he will lie big time after the meeting

[bristolboy]

2 hours ago, quandow said:

Trump publicly declared the EU a foe. How can a foe embrace your values yet remain a foe? Or was Trump just having a brain fart?

So far his presidency has been a 11/2 year slow release of gas and hot air.

[DukSiam1]

I just watched the two leaders arrive at the meeting venue separately. Their vehicles pulled into a tent infront of the venue and immediately a curtain was pulled to keep prying eyes away. Supposedly their liason will be a short-time one on one. Now where have I seen similar precautions used when a hi-so was having a clandestine meeting?

I wonder which one will end up f**ked.

[HHTel]

Trump to Putin after congratulating him on the world cup:

 

Quote

'I watched quite a bit and in the United States we call it soccer,' Trump informed him.  

One day he'll get something right.  Soccer was the name of the game in the UK long long before it was known as 'football.'

It was an abbreviation of 'Association' (Association Football is the real title).  Similar to 'Rugby Football' became rugger!

Not important but just irks me when he states 'facts'

[FritsSikkink]

9 hours ago, BuaBS said:

From the news :

Putin landed in Helsinki about 40 minutes behind schedule, and was expected to head directly to the summit. The two leaders will hold a one-on-one with only interpretors, followed by a working lunch accompanied by advisers.

 

Really ? Such an important summit and only less than a day of meetings ? It should be at least a couple of days .

Why, Putin is instructing Trump what to say, can be done very quickly.

[Scott]

Troll post and reply removed.  

 

[SinCityGr8One]

Why shouldn't the World's most powerful Nuclear armed Countries on the Planet not have good relations? They each have the capability of turning this Planet into a radioactive cinder flying thru space. As far as the Mueller investigation goes, it has been almost 2 years and $80 million spent and there is nothing to show about Russian collusion. Oh, yeah there are indictments against 13 Russians living in Russia. I believe if Trump poured Russian dressing on his salad some one would scream "COLLUSION"! See I knew there was and now there is proof! The Democrats will do everything to stop Trump. They have there own agenda and it's good for them but bad for America. America is swimming in debt.$22 Trillion for US Government, $1 Trillion for consumer credit card debt, $1 Trillion for Student Aid loans. Looking pretty bad, huh? Here is the Cherry on top of the Ice Cream.  $300 Trillion in Derivatives debt also known as Credit Swaps. Never heard of that? Most haven't.  It is Financial Mumbo Jumbo created by Wolf Street. Nobody but nobody can fully explain in simple english, and when they do, it just sounds like Hog Wash. By the way Russia carries $665 Billion of debt. Period.

Edited July 24, 2018 by SinCityGr8One
# instead of $