Trump says he and Putin discussed getting humanitarian aid to Venezuela

By Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton

 

FILE PHOTO: People line up as they wait to have lunch at a community kitchen set-up by USAID and World Food Programme in Cucuta, Colombia February 7, 2019. REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he focused on humanitarian aid for Venezuelans during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, backing away from his administration's recent harsh rhetoric about Russian involvement in the crisis.

 

In a rare call, Trump and Putin spoke for more than an hour, their first known conversation since December and since tensions flared in Venezuela, where Washington backs opposition leader Juan Guaido and Moscow supports President Nicolas Maduro.

 

"We talked about many things, Venezuela was one of the topics," Trump told reporters at the White House.

 

"And he (Putin) is not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela other than he would like to see something positive happen for Venezuela, and I feel the same way. We want to get some humanitarian aid - right now people are starving, they have no food, they have no water," he said.

 

Trump's comments stand in sharp contrast to those made a month ago, after Russia sent a contingent of special forces to Caracas.

 

"Russia has to get out," Trump told reporters at the time. On Friday, he made no mention of the troops.

 

Trump's call with Putin came days after an attempted uprising led by Guaido failed to turn key military figures against Maduro.

 

Trump's closest advisers have sharply objected to Russia's presence in the hemisphere and blamed Moscow for helping keep Maduro in place. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Maduro had been ready to flee Venezuela on Tuesday but reversed his plan after Russia intervened. Russia denied the allegation.

 

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said there was no daylight between Trump on Pompeo on the issue.

 

"The president was relaying what President Putin said him - that's it," Sanders told reporters.

 

The United States and most other Western countries support Guaido, who invoked the constitution in January to declare himself interim president, arguing that Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate.

 

Russia supports Maduro, who has said Guaido is a puppet of Washington.

 

Pompeo and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, are slated to meet on Monday on the sidelines of an Arctic Council meeting in Finland - their second full-fledged encounter.

 

Venezuela is suffering from deep economic recession, hyperinflation and food and medicine shortages.

 

The United States has sent hundreds of tons of food and medical supplies for Venezuela to neighboring Colombia and Brazil, but has not yet been allowed to deliver it.

 

Trump has consistently said he would not rule out military options for the crisis, though he has emphasized he hopes for a peaceful transition of power.

 

Pompeo and Trump's national security adviser John Bolton met with acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan at the Pentagon on Friday, but there were no immediate announcements from the meeting, the White House said.

 

The United States has imposed sanctions on Venezuela's key oil sector to choke off revenues to Maduro and is considering further sanctions, officials have said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-04

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OMG more evidence of Russian collusion with the Trump administration..."Special Council Investigation!"

3 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

OMG more evidence of Russian collusion with the Trump administration..."Special Council Investigation!"

 

We could solve the problems in Venezuela if we tax the rich 90%.

Putin and Trump are to be commended for maintaining a mature relationship in the face of all this overbearing negativity. Their relationship could have so easily been permanently damaged by all the nonsense since Trump won the election.

1 minute ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Putin and Trump are to be commended for maintaining a mature relationship in the face of all this overbearing negativity. Their relationship could have so easily been permanently damaged by all the nonsense since Trump won the election.

 

I am sure they both had a few laughs about the whole thing. 

5 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Putin and Trump are to be commended for maintaining a mature relationship in the face of all this overbearing negativity. Their relationship could have so easily been permanently damaged by all the nonsense since Trump won the election.

Why would it be damaged, they both got what they wanted.

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

Why would it be damaged, they both got what they wanted.

 

The dems tried as hard as they could.

Also Trump brought up Russian meddling when he was a candidate and was told to stop whining by Obama. The Whole  Russia thing was Obama's duty to take care of. But the polls showed Clinton. had a landslide going while she was bleaching and taking hammers to her servers. Just kidding she had her servants do that. 

 

Just to refresh some memories here is Obama on video tape. In this sense Trump was the actual whistle blower. Obama was the president and Trump was a civilian candidate. Trump most likely said something and this was the response. After that Trump kept his mouth shut, stopped whining and took the rust belt states in a decisive victory.

 

Later on Trump is investigated and exonerated on collusion and then accused of obstruction. Trump said very early on the Russians were up to something. He was ignored.

 

When he had a spy implanted that showed he likes pee play. LOL most people on TV do the same or worse.The dems went from the party of free sex and no guilt to the party you want a cam if you are a teacher or judge in the room.

 

So you are not falsely accused.

 

 

Edited May 4, 20197 yr by Cryingdick

Sooo I guess it’s ok for hostile foreign powers to interfere in our election?

4 minutes ago, Tug said:

Sooo I guess it’s ok for hostile foreign powers to interfere in our election?

 According to Obama that idea is reserved for unintelligent people. C'mon man.

Edited May 4, 20197 yr by Cryingdick

I know the cia fbi nsa ect ect we’re lying it was all fake news lol all made up to hurt poor Donald lol it’s going to be fun watching them back peddle on this latest fiasco 

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

Also Trump brought up Russian meddling when he was a candidate and was told to stop whining by Obama. The Whole  Russia thing was Obama's duty to take care of. But the polls showed Clinton. had a landslide going while she was bleaching and taking hammers to her servers. Just kidding she had her servants do that. 

 

Just to refresh some memories here is Obama on video tape. In this sense Trump was the actual whistle blower. Obama was the president and Trump was a civilian candidate. Trump most likely said something and this was the response. After that Trump kept his mouth shut, stopped whining and took the rust belt states in a decisive victory.

 

Later on Trump is investigated and exonerated on collusion and then accused of obstruction. Trump said very early on the Russians were up to something. He was ignored.

 

When he had a spy implanted that showed he likes pee play. LOL most people on TV do the same or worse.The dems went from the party of free sex and no guilt to the party you want a cam if you are a teacher or judge in the room.

 

So you are not falsely accused.

 

 

To refresh your memory, Barr confirmed that the FBI had warned Trump about possible interference by Russia in August 2016. Trump has been consistently lying about it, as usual.

 

"Attorney General William Barr confirmed Wednesday during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee that the Trump campaign was briefed in 2016 that the Russians would try to infiltrate it, contrary to previous remarks made by the president."

 

"Throughout the campaign, including after he was reportedly told Russia was responsible for the hacks of the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign, as well as behind efforts to influence the election, Trump said that instead of Russia trying to interfere, it was "somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds."

https://www.newsweek.com/william-barr-trump-campaign-russian-interference-1411801

Edited May 4, 20197 yr by candide

19 minutes ago, candide said:

To refresh your memory, Barr confirmed that the FBI had warned Trump about possible interference by Russia in August 2016. Trump has been consistently lying about it, as usual.

 

"Attorney General William Barr confirmed Wednesday during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee that the Trump campaign was briefed in 2016 that the Russians would try to infiltrate it, contrary to previous remarks made by the president."

 

"Throughout the campaign, including after he was reportedly told Russia was responsible for the hacks of the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign, as well as behind efforts to influence the election, Trump said that instead of Russia trying to interfere, it was "somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds."

https://www.newsweek.com/william-barr-trump-campaign-russian-interference-1411801

And in the light of that, Republicans blocking funding to election security needs explaining.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/01/republicans-block-money-election-security/884438002/

Off-topic posts and replies removed.   Please stay on topic.  

 

2 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

Also Trump brought up Russian meddling when he was a candidate and was told to stop whining by Obama. The Whole  Russia thing was Obama's duty to take care of. But the polls showed Clinton. had a landslide going while she was bleaching and taking hammers to her servers. Just kidding she had her servants do that. 

 

Just to refresh some memories here is Obama on video tape. In this sense Trump was the actual whistle blower. Obama was the president and Trump was a civilian candidate. Trump most likely said something and this was the response. After that Trump kept his mouth shut, stopped whining and took the rust belt states in a decisive victory.

 

Later on Trump is investigated and exonerated on collusion and then accused of obstruction. Trump said very early on the Russians were up to something. He was ignored.

 

When he had a spy implanted that showed he likes pee play. LOL most people on TV do the same or worse.The dems went from the party of free sex and no guilt to the party you want a cam if you are a teacher or judge in the room.

 

So you are not falsely accused.

 

 

You're a funny guy. Post a video of Obama talking about Americans possibly committing voter fraud and suggest he is responding to Trump complaining of Russian interference.

Trump:

Quote

"We want to get some humanitarian aid - right now people are starving, they have no food, they have no water,

and they have no Trump Towers."

so after the puppet gauido fiasco now trump call putin for help ? hahahaha

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

We want to get some humanitarian aid - right now people are starving, they have no food, they have no water," he said.

And of course, it has nothing to do with the U.S. sanctions......

"Trump's closest advisers have sharply objected to Russia's presence in the hemisphere and blamed Moscow for helping keep Maduro in place."

 

Where does one go to complain about the US presence in Asia, in Eastern Europe, in the Middle East, in Africa?

12 hours ago, Tug said:

Sooo I guess it’s ok for hostile foreign powers to interfere in our election?

Is it ok for the US to interfere in other elections or to regime change? (which is simply election interference aided by invasion)