HELSINKI (AP) With a wink and a slouch, respectively, President Donald Trump and Russias Vladimir Putin opened their long-awaited summit today as the American leader declared that the world wants to see us get along and predicted rosy future relations. Trump laid out a list of topics for discussion that notably did not include Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
We have not been getting along well for the last number of years, Trump said as he and Putin sat down at the Presidential Palace in Finlands capital. But I think we will end up having an extraordinary relationship. … I really think the world wants to see us get along.
Putin, for his part, said he and Trump have maintained regular contact through phone calls and meetings at international events but the time has come to have a thorough discussion on various international problems and sensitive issues. He added: There are quite a few of them for us to pay attention to.
Their opening one-on-one session ran well past the scheduled 90 minutes.
The summit, which is being closely watched around the world, was condemned in advance by members of Congress from both parties after the U.S. indictment last week of 12 Russian military intelligence officers accused of hacking Democrats in the 2016 election to help Trumps presidential campaign. Trump said last week that he planned to again raise the meddling issue with Putin, but questions have been swirling about whether Trump will sharply and publicly rebuke his Russian counterpart for the interference that prompted a special investigation probe that Trump has repeatedly labeled a witch hunt.
Addressing reporters before the one-on-one meeting, Putin struck a casual pose during Trumps remarks, slouching in his chair with his legs wide and eyes low. He nodded along to some of Trumps remarks before they were translated, showcasing his fluency in English. Trump leaned forward in his chair, his hands tented in front of him and frequently glanced over at the Russian president. At one point, he shot Putin a wink. After Trump concluded his remarks, American reporters shouted several questions about whether he would bring up election meddling during his discussions with Putin.
Trump did not respond; Putin appeared to smirk.
With that, the leaders gave a quick handshake and their private meeting in the opulent Gothic Hall was under way. Just the two of them, each with a translator.
They were to continue their discussions with an expanded group of aides and over lunch in the Hall of Mirrors, once the emperors throne room. Theyll conclude the summit by taking questions at a joint news conference.
On the streets, the summit attracted a grab-bag of protesters, with abortion-rights activists wearing artificially bulging bellies and Trump masks, anti-fascist protesters bearing signs with expletive-laden insults, and free traders, antiwar Ukrainians and gay rights supporters making their voices heard.
The summit began just hours after Trump blamed the United States and not Russian election meddling or its annexation of Crimea for a low-point in U.S.-Russia relations. The drama was playing out against a backdrop of fraying Western alliances, a new peak in the Russia investigation and fears that Moscows aggression may go unchallenged.
Our relationship with Russia has NEVER been worse, Trump tweeted Monday morning, blaming many years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity and now, the Rigged Witch Hunt!
The Russian foreign ministry responded, first by liking Trumps tweet and then replying: We agree.
