First Trump-Putin Face-to-Face Meeting Opens With Genial Handshake

As the two leaders first met today, President Trump adopted a hopeful tone:

“We look forward to a lot of very positive things happening, with Russia and the United States and for everybody concerned,”

The president referenced the prior phone conversations, noting the two leaders have had “very, very good talks,” a fact generally not mentioned by the media. Trump stated, “It’s an honor to be with you.”

Before leaving the for G20 summit, President Trump tweeted the following:

“I will represent our country well and fight for its interests! Fake News Media will never cover me accurately but who cares! We will [Make America Great Again]!”

While giving a stirring address to the Polish people in Warsaw on Thursday, President Trump sounded a harder line toward Russia to set the stage for his meeting with President Putin:

“We urge Russia to cease its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere and its support for hostile regimes including Syria and Iran, and to instead join the community of responsible nations in our fight against common enemies and the defense of civilization itself,”

During the presidential campaign in 2016, candidate Trump sounded a more optimistic tone by stating his desire to work with Mr. Putin to fight against ISIS and terrorism in general.

The hostile media keep trying to focus on alleged Russian meddling in the election in order to keep the phony Trump-Putin collusion story alive.

At a joint press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda, President Trump acknowledged in response to a question about Russian election meddling that it likely happened, but that other state actors may have been involved as well.

At today’s meeting, the two leaders may find they have a lot in common in terms of their style and approach to issues. Putin has demonstrated his skill as a statesman as Russia has taken a more outgoing approach on the world stage. On the other hand, Trump is known as a savvy businessman and skilled negotiator who can bring people to the table to solve problems.

Prior to their formal meeting, the two exchanged a brief handshake and pleasantries at a meeting of G20 leaders. Both smiled broadly, and as they shook hands, Trump reached out with his left hand to squeeze Putin’s right arm. Then, as they turned toward their adjacent seats, the president patted Putin on the back in a friendly gesture.

Given the broad range of issues to discuss, it’s unlikely any substantive agreements will emerge from the meeting. There could likely be a joint statement of purpose regarding the fight against ISIS and a commitment to future meetings.

It’s highly likely the American news coverage will focus on ways to spin the meeting as less than a success. Stay tuned for your “fake news” this evening.

The meeting caps a hectic four-day European trip for Trump. In addition to the trip to Poland, the president continued his diplomacy in Germany.

He met in Germany with Chancellor Angela Merkel, the summit host, and had dinner with two Asian allies — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in — to discuss North Korea’s aggression.”

President Trump and the First Lady will return to Washington tomorrow. Mrs. Trump was trapped in her hotel and unable to participate in some of the activities arranged for spouses. German authorities failed miserably in trying to contain the anti-Trump protests in the streets. Or, maybe they didn’t fail. Maybe they just did what they were told.

Source: Fox News

First handshake, casual:

First Official Handshake: