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Trump, Putin in Highly Anticipated Talks

by Steve Herman

   HELSINKI --

   U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are
   holding a highly anticipated summit at the Baltic port city of
   Helsinki.

   Just before heading into one-on-one talks Monday, Trump said relations
   between the two countries have not been good for the last number of
   years but "I think we will end up having an extraordinary
   relationship."

   As reporters were being escorted out, both leaders ignored shouted
   questions about Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

   Hours earlier, the U.S. president took to social media to cast blame
   for the state of the American relationship with Moscow.

   Trump tweeted: "Our relationship with Russia has NEVER been worse
   thanks to many years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity and now, the
   Rigged Witch Hunt!", referring to the current investigation by the
   special counsel into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

   The Russian ministry of foreign affairs tweeted its response, saying
   "We agree."

   Trump had also issued a series of tweets as he headed for Finland,
   saying no matter how well he does at the summit with Putin he would
   "return to criticism that it wasn't good enough.

   Asked by reporters to further comment during a Monday morning breakfast
   with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto at the Mantyniemi official
   residence, Trump stuck to the bilateral relationship with Helsinki and
   last week's meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

   "NATO was a little bit tough at the beginning and it turned out to be
   love," replied Trump.

   "They're paying and they're paying more rapidly and I think NATO has
   never been stronger than it is today," said Trump referring to defense
   spending commitments tied to a minimum percentage of the gross domestic
   product of the alliance's member states.

   Finland, is part of the EU but not a full member of the NATO defense
   pact.

   Several thousand protesters gathered Sunday in Helsinki's iconic Senate
   Square for a protest that gathered together activists focused on issues
   including the environment, refugee rights, and anti-war causes.

   Some of protest signs read: "Dictators not welcome," "Trump is Satan to
   the environment," and "Stop Killing Journalists."

   Additional protests were expected Monday.

   Ahead of his summit with Putin, Trump has both lowered expectations for
   the talks and issued a stunning rebuke of what has traditionally been
   one of Washington's closest allies.

   "Well I think we have a lot of foes," Trump told CBS News. I think the
   European Union is a foe, what they do to us in trade. Now, you wouldn't
   think of the European Union, but they're a foe. Trump also said Russia
   is a foe "in certain respects."

   European Council President Donald Tusk quickly responded on Twitter:
   "America and the EU are best friends. Whoever says we are foes is
   spreading fake news."

   Trump's comments were broadcast as he headed for Helsinki. Trump says
   he will use the meeting to find areas of cooperation with Putin, who is
   also critical of Western institutions such as NATO and the EU.

   "Nothing bad's gonna come out of it, and maybe some good will come
   out," Trump said. "But I go in with low expectations. I'm not going
   with high expectations. I don't really, I can't tell you what's going
   to happen."

   The Trump and Putin meeting comes three days after special counsel
   Robert Mueller indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers, accusing them
   of meddling in election to help Trump win the White House.

   Russia has no extradition treaty with the United States, so it is
   unlikely that the Russia would turn the intelligence officials over to
   the U.S. to stand trial. Putin has denied trying to influence the vote.

   The fresh indictments prompted a number of U.S. senators, all but one
   Democrats, to request Trump cancel his summit with Putin.

   Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, speaking to VOA's
   Russian Service in Helsinki said his greatest fear is that Trump "will
   be too friendly and lavish praise on Vladimir Putin and I think that
   serves his interest. I don't think that serves America's interest.

   Steve Herman is VOA's White House Bureau Chief.