President Trump courts Russian leader Vladimir Putin as relations with Europe sour

[CousinIT]

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/25/politics/trump-administration-russia-outreach/index.html

Washington (CNN)With a sudden flurry of plans for high-level contacts between Washington and Moscow, President Donald Trump appears to be telegraphing an upcoming meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin -- a controversial push to engage the Kremlin at a time when relations between the US and key European allies are rapidly souring.

Trump and Putin are planning to meet around the time of Trump's trip to the UK and the NATO summit in mid-July, two diplomatic sources familiar with the matter told CNN last week.

The two leaders have met before on the sidelines of global forums, but the recent push for a one-on-one summit is shining a new light on their complicated relationship -- one that has been under increased scrutiny as special counsel Robert Mueller investigates any potential ties between Russia and Trump campaign associates.

The potential summit highlights gaps between Trump's consistently positive rhetoric about Russia and more critical comments from administration officials such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis.

It also underscores the increasing tension between the US and its traditional Atlantic allies, particularly after a contentious G7 meeting in June where Trump blasted fellow leaders and said Moscow should be reinstated in the group of advanced economies.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. Spanky has to show homage to his master.

[Blue Owl]

2. The stunted toddler at work

n/t

[Caliman73]

3. Complicated??

The two leaders have met before on the sidelines of global forums, but the recent push for a one-on-one summit is shining a new light on their complicated relationship

It isn't complicated. Putin runs Trump. Putin tells Trump what he wants and Trump bumbles along to try to get it done. It is straight up quid pro quo mixed in with blackmail and greed.

[bdamomma]

4. not to be crass

but he is kissing dictator's asses. He is doing Putin's bidding to pull out of a democracy, EU and NATO, all his owner needs to do is give him a pat on the head and say you're a good boy.

We on really heading on the wrong path.

[Initech]

5. No collusion! No collusion! No collusion!