Adding to an ever-growing cast of foreign officials upset at the upcoming Trump-Putin summit, German officials from multiple parties are coming out to say they are deeply concerned at the planned meeting.
The concerns, as with previous nations’ comments, are that Trump is “too volatile,” and that they don’t trust him not to make an agreement on improved relations with Putin that other NATO members don’t support.
Peter Beyer, a top Merkel aide, told German media that they are concerned that NATO has not been included at any stage in planning for the July 16 summit. This further gives the sense among officials that they don’t have a good handle and Trump and what his intentions for the summit are.
On the other hand, Trump will be attending a very high-profile NATO summit in the days immediately before this summit, and almost certainly will be meeting some top officials to discuss the matter. While no joint planning has happened yet, it may be unfair of officials to accuse Trump of totally cutting them out.
Christian Linder, head of the Free Democrats, was a bit more direct, saying he just plain doesn’t trust Trump at all. He cited Trump’s positions on trade as proof his actions aren’t always in the nation’s long-term interest.
Ultimately, though, much of the suspicion surrounding the summit is, both domestically and internationally, a function of allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election. This started a narrative that Trump is effectively Putin’s “puppet,” which has retained a considerable following ever since.
Indeed, this suspicion of all things Russian is likely why this will be the first proper Russia summit of Trump’s presidency, and 18 months after his inauguration. All past suggestions of meetings were met with similar loud opposition.
But a summit was inevitable, as even if it’s politically risky and is going to spark a lot of upset feelings on the international level, the leaders of the US and Russia can’t simply not meet for years on end. Distrust of Trump will continue up to the summit, and likely beyond, irrespective of what understandings are reached there.
This distrust will also inform the perception of that outcome. Many officials operate under the assumption Trump is a diplomatic lightweight and that Putin is sneaky on an almost mythical level. Starting from that, they’ll necessarily see any deal as a win for Russia.
So I guess it’s not true that all the anti-Russian hysteria is American driven.
Yeah, it is true. Specifically, Never-Trump driven.
The German concerns are not hysteria. That is limited to those excusing Hillary or trying to re-create the old dead Republican Party.
“he German concerns are not hysteria”… but not enough to rearm and prepare for war with Russia… no.. leave that racket to the USA.
National defense need not be so expensive Putin thinks Russia is more than well defended . So well he is cutting Russia’s military budget by 20 % For 2019 and 2020 Russia’s total military budget is only 40 billion dollars . The United States raises our military budget more than that every year .Our military spending has to be a lot greater because it really is not national defense it is more national offence . For world policing and world control you need air craft carriers foreign military bases all with high operational expenses . The money is spent in foreign countries so that money is completely gone
All you say is true… but the US Predator Class has always had Grand Imperial and Hegemonic designs that require 800+ military installations across the globe… PLUS the MIC is one multi-trillion dollar cesspool of theft and corruption that the US is addicted to and can’t kick the habit… until the dollars (literally) run out
I think you are missing the point. The “dollar model” was designed by the virtue of creating a new debt in order to keep its value. Failure to create a new debt means an end to worlds reserve currency.
That’s why Chi.na and the BRIC countries are fighting tooth and nail to get that reserve currency status downgraded.
Putin sure isn’t someone who I would like to live under his rule, but he is the leader of a country that is a major power in the world. Not meeting and talking with him would be an act of silliness. It wouldn’t matter what Trump did, most German officials probably wouldn’t like it anyway.
Maybe you know something I don’t ? But after Putin finished his first Presidency in Russia I was hoping he would swing by Hi. pickup a birth certificate and run for president of the United States in 2012 . He had taken a very bankrupt weak Russia and returned Russia to her historic Christian roots . greatly rebuilding Russia’s military power faster than Hitler rebuilt Germany in the 30s . Built more Christian Churches than any country in Europe, More than doubled the average Russians income All this was accomplished without raising the national debt but instead building strong financial reserves .Hopefully Trump will learn some things from Putin .
I hope he doesn’t learn more about how to jail political opponents, rig elections, and control the press from Putin. Mussolini made the trains run on time, but if you disagreed with him, you’d simply vanish.
We have enough to worry about “vanishing” or getting murdered right here in the good ol’ USA without anyone worrying about nations with lesser violent crime rates and less people in prisons than we have.
I agree with you there. We are one of the most violent, litigant, incarcerate societies on the globe. I happen to believe that FEWER thugs at the top, not more thugs is the path to take. Less government, not more. Whenever government asserts its power, the three above issues skyrocket (as well as suicide rates and income inequality).
WHAT? It is the USA and Israel who teach the others about these factors.
Neither the USA or Israel have any room to preach to others.
Stop neocon myths. Do your own checking. We cannot forever be hostage to neocon anti-Russia drivel. I recommend that neocons come out of the closet, and send their children to fight Russia, and pay with their own money, if they hate Russia so much. Trying to avenge pogroms through American might — I think not. Fight your own battles.
Nobody invited you-in fact many people are hoping their desire for Russian citizenship is accepted. There are many Russia speakers elsewhere who now would like to return, and the Russian Federation bureaucracy is trying to help them.
I agree. In fact I know a few of them. It is not necessarily a desire to return to Putin’s Russia that makes them want to return. It’s the negative experience that many have had in the US that fuels a desire to return. Many Americans may have the same experience if they try to go elsewhere.
The 1.2% Germans are not going to get great attention from Trump. He shows no sign of respect for them.
Its possibly mutual. As the descendant of German immigrants, Trump might be looked down upon for having had to leave Germany to ‘make it’ in some quarters.
My ancestors left Germany, so like Trump I hardly had a choice. I just wish they’d kept going until they hit Australia.
Its not so bad; America has cool beer, beaches and babes too.
Just not on the same level…
Hey listen up Kraut-heads: If you’re so concerned with Russia a) start conscripting troops; b) ramp up military spending; c) deploy troops on your borders etc.
Yeah… didn’t think so… Merkel and Co would be out overnight…
US military bases are a racket for the MIC here and in NATO host countries. Those days need to end. Put up or shut up.
Add to that stop importing ‘replacement’ migrants past whatever border security there is to supplant the indigenous population.
NATO is an expensive joke.
Time for a deal,
a Russian pull back from Ukraine and a US pull back from Europe.
Why should the Germans spend crazy amounts on their military… they have commitments from NATO in the unlikely event of Russia invading. And as long as the US exploits NATO in various ways, like using it to pretend to have EU backing for things but not asking them, and as a tool to coerce them to buy American weapons, Germany and other nations can ignore their official commitments to NATO… like the 2 perc of GDP thing. Why waste the money!
So the gullible public still believe the “Russiagate” lies and probably the Novichok poisoning and death of two guinea pigs as well. Keep to the point, look at Russia fairly and be ready for real talks to lead to possible peaceful decisions. NATO is no peacemaker.
when did the land of my ancestors become such a nation of wimps and girlymen. Time to start taking care of your own defense again, Germans, and stop hiding under mommy’s skirt. She can’t fight your battles anymore.