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Trump, Putin Meet in Helsinki: Here's What to Expect

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After months of anticipation, the world got its first glimpse of that high stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We have discussions on everything from trade to military, to missiles, to nuclear, to China," President Trump said before going into the private meeting in Helsinki, Finland.

There was a lot up in the air going into Monday's talks, but the ongoing Russia investigation loomed front and center.

Taking to Twitter Monday morning, the president said, "Our relationship with Russia has never been worse thanks to many years of US foolishness and stupidity and now, the rigged witch hunt!"

Senator Ben Sasse, R-NE, pushed back against that notion. 

Regardless, the president told CBS News his mind was on the US, specifically the House Oversight Hearing with FBI agent Peter Strzok. 

“I watch some of the testimony, even though I'm in Europe, of Strzok. And I thought it was a disgrace to our country. I thought it was an absolute disgrace, “said the President. 

The president sees Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, which Trump calls a “witch hunt,” as a potential hurdle between the US and Russia.

“I don't expect anything. I go in with very low expectations. I think getting along with Russia is a good thing but it's possible we won't.  I think we're greatly hampered by this whole witch hunt that's going on in the United States,” he said.

However, Congressional leaders say the president needs more than ‘low expectations’ when it comes to Putin.

“Just by meeting with Vladimir Putin President Trump is potentially advancing Putin goals, ending some of his isolation after his illegal annexation of Crimea,” Senator Chris Coons, D-DE, told Fox News Sunday.

“I think he needs to make it clear that they interfered in our 2016 election and stop calling this a rigged witch hunt,” Coons continued. 

The meeting between the two world leaders comes on the heels of the FBI’s indictment of 12 Russian nationals over meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

President Trump took to Twitter to point out the criminal activity actually took place under his predecessor.

Regardless, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats says the attack was and is a viable threat.

“Russia has been the most aggressive foreign actor no question and they continue their efforts to undermine our democracy,” said Coats in a speech to the Hudson Institute Friday. 

“As the Department of Homeland Security notes we are not yet seeing the kind of electoral interference in specific states and in voter databases that we experienced in 2016. However, we fully realize that we are just one click of the keyboard away from a similar situation,” Coats warned.

The US ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman Jr., says it’s time to move forward from the election tampering. But make no mistake, he made clear, the US is watching.

"If there is meddling in the election this November like we saw in 2016, we're not going to have much of a relationship left,” Huntsman Jr. told Fox News Sunday.

Beyond election meddling, Huntsman Jr. says there are other issues on the president’s plate when it comes to the two nations. 

“Probably the most important issue we have here is non-proliferation. The two countries are 90% of the world's nuclear weapons,” he said.

 


 

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About The Author

Amber C.
Strong

Amber Strong joined the CBN News team in Washington, D.C., in 2014 as a producer and field producer. Currently, she works as a correspondent, producer, and backup anchor for "The Brody File." Her beat includes national politics and The White House. And while she loves her current backyard of Washington, D.C., she’s a Hoosier girl at heart. Amber lives and breathes all things entertainment and politics and has had the privilege of interviewing some of the biggest names in both industries, including late night host Jimmy Fallon and presidential contender Rick Santorum. However, her true love is