Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)

It took nearly six months after Trump’s ascension to power for both leaders to meet face-to-face for the first time.

Will a full-fledged summit follow in a mutually agreed on location? Having one won’t improve bilateral relations as long as neocons make policy in Washington, but at least it might foster a spirit of good will, hopefully to build on at a later time.

If past is prologue, odds against it are long, yet without trying, improved bilateral relations will remain unattainable. Putin and Trump met on the sidelines of the Hamburg, Germany G20 summit. Sergey Lavrov and Rex Tillerson participated in the talks. No one else was involved except translators for both leaders.

Putin reportedly told Trump they spoke by “phone several times on very important matters of the bilateral and international agenda,” adding:

“Naturally, telephone conversations are never enough if we want to find solutions to pressing issues on the bilateral agenda and the most sensitive, acute issues on the international agenda.”

Trump responded, saying “President Putin and I have been discussing various things and I think that it’s going very well. We look forward to a lot of very positive things happening for Russia, for the United States and for everybody concerned.”

Extending his hand to Putin, he said “(i)t’s an honor to be with you. Thank you.” Putin responded, saying “I’m delighted to meet you personally, and I hope our meeting will bring results.

Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin expressed concern about lack of US fairness in global trade. How can there be when Washington imposes financial and economic restrictions on other nations, he explained.

In Poland before heading to Hamburg, Trump delivered mixed messages. Asked if he accepts the US intelligence community’s claim about alleged Russian interference in last year’s election, he said:

“I think it was Russia, and I think it could have been other people and other countries. It could have been a lot of people interfered.”

Addressing a crowd in Warsaw, his tone was far different, saying “(w)e urge Russia to cease its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere,” and stop supporting Iran and Syria.

He knows no Russian US election hacking occurred. He knows claims about “Russian aggression” in Ukraine are fabricated.

He knows no Russian destabilization efforts in Ukraine or elsewhere occurred or remain ongoing.

What he knows v. says and does are far different. Washington is implacably hostile to Russia. It’s all about its sovereign independence and opposition to US imperialism.

Putin/Trump talks in Hamburg and ahead if more take place won’t change a thing.

The agendas of both countries are world’s apart. Russia champions world peace and stability.

America wants unchallenged global dominance, aggressive wars its main strategy of choice - Russia and China on its target list for regime change.

US war on either country would be madness. With lunatics running the Washington asylum, the risk is too great to ignore.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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