A daunting agenda... sprinkled with wisecracks: Highlights from the Trump-Putin G20 talks

RT
Fri, 28 Jun 2019 13:54 UTC

© Sputnik / Mikhail Klimentyev

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had a full agenda when they met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka. But the serious nature of their meeting did not stop the two leaders from enjoying several lighthearted moments together. 'Lots to discuss'

The US president was considerably more talkative than his Russian counterpart as the pair delivered brief remarks for the media before beginning their closed-door meeting on Friday.

Trump said that trade, disarmament and "a little protectionism" would be the primary topics of discussion. He predicted that "positive things" would result from his "very, very good relationship" with Putin.

"We're going to discuss a lot of different things," he added.

For his part, the Russian leader noted that there was certainly "something to discuss," but didn't go into specifics. Initially planned for just one hour, their meeting went twenty minutes overschedule.

Joker-in-chief?

Despite the dilapidated state of US-Russia relations, Trump did his best to lighten the mood. Before sitting down with Putin, he was spotted patting the Russian president's back as world leaders gathered for a group photograph.

When the pair appeared before the press, Trump joked about the throng of overzealous photographers in the room.

"It's like the Academy Awards. Stupid," Trump quipped to Putin.

But Trump had more zingers up his sleeve. As he waited to begin his meeting with the Russian president, a reporter shouted out: "Mr. President, will you tell Russia not to meddle in the 2020 elections?"

"Yes, of course I will," Trump replied. He then pointed at the Russian leader and said: "Don't meddle in the elections please. Don't meddle in the elections." Putin then cracked a grin.

Progress?

While Washington and the Kremlin have remained tight-lipped about the meeting's outcome, Trump and Putin seem to be making headway - at least on a personal level.

According to the Kremlin, Trump "reacted positively" after Putin invited him to Moscow next year to attend commemorations marking the 75th anniversary of victory in WWII.

Comment: RT provides more detail of the meeting:

Putin noted that while the two leaders hadn't spoken face-to-face since the Helsinki summit last summer, US and Russian officials have been consulting with one another over the past year. The meeting in Osaka, Putin remarked, will allow the two leaders to "follow up" on discussions that have been taking place over the past 12 months.

[...]

While the Mueller report found no evidence that Trump "colluded" with the Kremlin, his meeting with Putin has predictably caused mass pandemonium among diehard Russiagaters.

The gathering raised further suspicion among Trump's most vocal critics after the president told a reporter that he would have a "good conversation" with Putin, but what they will discuss is "none of her business."

In an interview with the Financial Times before the meeting, Putin said he remained cautiously optimistic about the bilateral talks, while acknowledging that US-Russia relations have become "more dramatic and explosive."

At their G20 meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump discussed improving trade relations, including China in new arms control talks, and foreign policy disagreements.

A short readout of the talks provided by the White House said that both presidents agreed to improve relations between the US and Russia and "continue discussion" on arms control in the 21st century, which Trump said ought to include China as well. The two leaders also discussed the "situations" in Iran, Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela.

More details were provided by the Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov, who praised Trump's "constructive approach" and desire to fix the "dismal" state of trade and economic relations between the US and Russia.

"We also note the readiness to start a conversation on serious topics of stability and disarmament, arms control... at the highest level," Peskov told reporters in Osaka on Friday.

"Let's learn to draw lessons from the past and move forward."

Trump raised the issue of Ukrainian Navy sailors detained by the Russian coast guard last November, after a 10-hour confrontation in the Kerch Strait. Putin "gave the necessary clarifications," Peskov told reporters.

The issue of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany did not come up.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called the meeting "very important and constructive."

Trump said that he would instruct his staff, who were present for the meeting, to follow up on the topics that were discussed with their counterparts in Moscow, Lavrov told reporters.

"We are ready for all these conversations," the foreign minister said. "Let's see what the American colleagues will do after this."

And finally from Zero Hedge:

[...]

"It's a great honor to be with President Putin," the president said, and called their relationship "very, very good."

And the two even shared a warm moment while discussing "fake news," per this classic exchange reported in Bloomberg:

The two leaders also bonded over journalism criticism. Trump complained to Putin about what he calls "fake news" in the U.S.

"You don't have this problem in Russia - we have, you don't have it," he said. Putin, who has cracked down on the independent media in his country, responded in English: "Yes, yes we have too. The same."

It was the second face to face meeting since July 2018, when the two controversially met alone in Helsinki, Finland. At that time Trump said he believed Putin's denials: "He just said it is not Russia," Trump said of election meddling charges after the Helsinki meeting. "I will say this. I don't see any reason why it would be."

The lighthearted brief exchange in response to reporters chaotically shouting questions and throwing out charges of Russian election meddling will likely be seized upon by the likes of Rachel Maddow and others as the latest "bombshell" proof of Trump and Putin being in cahoots.

A formal White House statement noted the two sought to improve relations in their Osaka meeting, especially following the break down of the the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and the avoidance of a new arms race. The statement emphasized a "21st century model of arms control, which President Trump stated as needing to include China. The leaders also discussed the situations in Iran, Syria, Venezuela, and Ukraine."

See also:

• Putin Interview with FT: 'Liberal Idea' Failed the West, Elites Forgot About People
• The Fact That Americans Need To Be Deceived Into War Proves They Don't Actually Support It
• The economic entrails at the heart of the 'deal of the century'
• Far from quiet on the US vs Russia-China front
• Pepe Escobar: The hardcore is yet to come for US & China