Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with US national security adviser John Bolton during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, June 27, 2018. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko
Pavel Felgenhauer, Eurasia Daily Monitor/The Jamestown Foundation: Both Kremlin and White House Aim for Success in Helsinki
The visit by United States National Security Advisor John Bolton to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials resulted in an agreement to hold a long-awaited “historic summit” with Putin and President Donald Trump in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16. That will be one day after Putin hosts the final game of the 2018 soccer World Cup, in Moscow, which will be attended by an array of foreign dignitaries. The US leader is coming to Europe to attend a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Brussels, on July 11–12. Less than a week later, in Helsinki, Trump and Putin will hold face-to-face talks followed by an expanded delegation meeting. A joint declaration is being prepared that will cover future bilateral relations and key global issues, including Syria, Ukraine and arms control. Both sides have expressed hope the coming summit will decrease heightened US-Russian tensions as well as promote world peace and international stability
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WNU Editor: On his visit to Moscow, United States National Security Advisor John Bolton was treated by the Russians in a manner that I have not seen the Kremlin treat a U.S. official in a very long time. United States National Security Advisor John Bolton did not only deal with every important person in the Kremlin, but he dealt with Russian President Putin himself. I cannot adequately express in words on how much this is a breach of Russian diplomatic protocol .... to put it bluntly .... it just does not happen. But it did happen, and it tells me that the Kremlin has high expectations that their Helsinki Summit with President Trump is going to produce a major change in U.S. - Russian relations and understandings. The above post is my must read article for the week .... it is giving all of us a heads-up that this Summit in two and a half weeks is going to be major.
Update: Another indication on how well United States National Security Advisor John Bolton was treated yesterday. I posted a video yesterday on John Bolton arriving at the home of Russian Foreign Ministry Lavrov .... US National Security Advisor John Bolton Arrives At The Residence Of Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (June 27, 2018). I do not recall Foreign Minister Lavrov ever inviting a foreign official to his home.
Hat tip to Gabriel for the above story.
This Russian - American cold economic war is hurting both sides, especially Kremlin cronies. It also gives China far more leverage with Russia since its US ties are deeper and more solid whereas Russia can make no such claims.
ReplyDeleteTrump has made it clear he is a transaction leader refusing to sacrifice US interests to the common good, so Moscow has a lot of room to wheel and deal with Trump and not the EU crowding Trumps elbow room.
I’d say the time is opportune to redo Russian -American relation unlike the past 70 years ever allowed.
We have to make sure we don't get pickpocketed BUT we have much in common as ally rather than enemy. Trump was not Putin's choice. It can work.
ReplyDeleteThis is tentative good news!! It suggests a,very careful diplomatic effort that certain unscrupulous elements sought to undermine that I believed had succeeded may not have succeeded.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure all parties are well aware of the mistakes that were made in the negotiations that ended Cold War 1. Those mistakes will NOT be made again.
Sign of weakness for the Russians to go out of their way to please Bolton this much. They must be more desperate than I imagined.
ReplyDeleteI have a different "take" on this. I don't think it's "weakness" at all. If an American negotiator or influential pundit reads it This, very respectfully it's going to end badly.
DeleteI see a very careful diplomatic effort underway. Frankly it's in our (American) interests that we succeed. It appears to me the Russian leadership wants this to succeed as well. Respecting the diplomats of the other side is going to be part of the process.
The biggest challenge is likely going to be the unscrupulous elements who have sought to undermine this from the start. These are the same ones who have gone out of their way to exacerbate Cold War 2.
Welcome back Dimitri! I just knew this article would get you do do your job of supporting Putin
ReplyDeleteAnon
DeletePlease read the posts before commenting. I point out that team Trump insisted a very careful diplomatic effort with regards to Russia, certain scrupulous elements sought to undermine It, I thought they succeeded, but it appears they haven't.
Mistakes were made when the end to Cold War 1 was negotiated. Certain understandings should have been in writing. They weren't. I don't think they are going to make that mistake again.
Nowhere in the post is support for Putin suggested or even implied. As for the Dimitri slur, I've already stated my true name and nationality on this website.
You can easily find it but you appear to be to lazy to make such an effort. Again, read the posts before commenting and come prepared to engage in serious dialogue before commenting. Otherwise don't waste my time!!