After a successful summit last week, President Trump invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House. He has subsequently put off such an invitation until next year, but that doesn’t mean a second summit won’t happen before then.
President Putin on Friday announced that he is inviting Trump to visit Moscow for a meeting. Putin further said he is “ready” to go to Washington for talks, but appears to want to have Moscow on the table as an alternative, since Trump appears to fear the political consequences of having Putin visit the White House before the Mueller investigation wraps up.
White House officials say that Trump is “open to visiting Moscow upon receiving a formal invitation.” It’s not clear when this visit would happen, but it seems likely that Putin is trying to get another formal meeting soon after the Helsinki summit.
That summit was politically difficult for Trump, as he faced repeated criticism from US media and lawmakers for not being more hostile toward Putin. Visiting Moscow would still be controversial, but likely would be less visible than a White House meeting.
A lot of issues were reportedly discussed in Helsinki, and President Trump was quick to declare it a success. Officials have been very vague about anything that was agreed to, however, and Defense Secretary James Mattis says that no policy changes were made during the summit.
Speaking of Mattis, the Pentagon chief also said he is considering direct talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoigu. No US defense secretary has spoken with a Russian DM in years, with the less confirmed phone call way back in 2015. Face to face meetings are even more rare, and haven’t happened in many years.
Great news, keeping fingers crossed.
My fingers are cramping. I may have to tie them together. Putin seems to have Trump’s ear. Here’s hoping he can talk some sense into the man before Bolton poisons the well (again).
Those that were always Trumpers should have gotten a wake up call when Bolton was added to the Trump administration. Not enough did though.
I’m a never-Trumper but diplomacy and detente are always good things. If Putin can pull it off it’ll be his greatest feat yet but I don’t have particularly high hopes. I almost wish he did rig the election (instead of Wall Street), the world would probably be considerably less dangerous.
“No US defense secretary has spoken with a Russian DM in years…Face to face meetings are even more rare, and haven’t happened in many years.”
in a nuclear age, where each side has approximately 6000-7000 nukes, that’s just absolutely shocking.
The sooner they all meet, and the more regularly, the better.
(of course Trump would like to get Russia away from it’s alliances with China and Iran, but I doubt that would go far; Russo-phobia is as permanent as apple pie on the american political scene)
With all those nukes, no US DM found it necessary to talk to Russia. It is because American continent is geographically in better shape defensively — so nukes in Europe, Turkey, and once American Iran — the balance of fear was in US favor. Not any more. With the next gen weapons, Russia eliminated that advantage, both defensively and offensively. Not to mention the trust deficit that US has accumulated in Russia, China and Iran. And now, iraq, Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt. Time to talk. Considering the abuse Trump is taking for trying to do just that — how is it possible that he gets it, while the moronic Congress does not? Thrir marching orders come from those that are high gamblers, or otherwise fear total loss of power. Hard to really figure it out.
There is no reason for a Sec of Def to meet with a foreign DM unless they are allied in a military venture. But, it would be the local boss, say, US Nato chief, There is an alphabet soup of these regional bosses. US and Russians are certainly talking in Syria, everytime they launch a sortie, or fire a missile, otherwise someone would have shot somebody down by now. Bianca, the US never had an “advantage” in nuclear war. We are not able to shoot down ICBMs, plain and simple. The “next gen” Russian nukes are the counter to US anti-missile systems in Europe. When bush trashed the START treaty in 03 and developed, and deployed anti-missile systems, Russia had no choice, other than overcoming systems with more missiles, which would work, but is more expensive, and against the START treaty.
Right on Dave next thing you will become another very sensible Anti war supporter .
““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““`I sure wish Ron Paul could become of one of Trumps advisers .I fear Trump is not well enough informed about what has gone on in the past . If you don’t know the truth about the past it is very difficult to make good decisions for our future . Rubio for instance talked about the terrible genocide the Serbs committed against the Muslims and Croats in Yugoslavia . Without even mentioning the worse genocide committed against the Serbs .Many other congressmen have said Russia invaded and conquered Crimea . They insinuate and seem to believe almost for sure Russia did this 2 years or so ago . While the truth is more Russia invaded and conquered Crimea over 400 years ago from the Ottoman Muslims . And Crimea has been speaking Russian ever since . having Russian troops controlling the Crimea every day for the last 400 years . The whole information situation in the United States for their people and even their congress is very weak when we have been living with faulty information and fake news for a very long . Why would this be ? because a powerful deep state has been working for a powerful world government with out ever really informing us of what their ultimate goal is .
Having a personal relationship and open channels of communication would be very useful indeed. Good plan Michael.
Russo-phobia is an elite-driven disorder, not grassroots.
Good. What else could there be to say?
When Putin back in April announced the new high tech supersonic and laser weapons he said something like: “Now they will talk to us”.
I don’t think those weapon systems are deployed yet Which could make things even more dicey if nuts in the US defense think they are losing a current open window on a preemptive strike.
And of course that can go either way now