German Foreign Minister warns Trump against unilateral agreements with Putin
During recent talks held in Helsinki, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas warned U.S. President Donald Trump against partaking in unilateral agreements with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Elaborating on his point, Maas stressed to Bild Newspaper that in particular, such agreements with Russia could cost the United States partners in Europe.
“Dialogue requires clarity,” Maas stated. “And President Trump’s system of coordination lacks clarity. He who offends his partner risks losing them in the end. Unilateral deals at the expense of one’s own partners also harm the U.S. in the end.”
Despite his warning, Maas emphasized his desire for the Russian and U.S. presidents to meet and negotiate. Maas expects that the summit of Trump and Putin would provide “an impetus for nuclear disarmament,” which would be a “step forward.”
The meeting between Trump and Putin is planned to take place on July 16 in the capital of Finland.
The Kremlin announced that “a very serious conversation” will take place between the leaders of the two countries. The White House reported that the topics discussed by Trump and Putin would include issues of Russia’s interference in the U.S. 2016 presidential elections and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and Syria.
Answering journalists’ enquiries about the likelihood of the U.S.’s recognition of Crimea’s annexation by Russia, Trump replied: “We’ll see.” Trump accused his predecessor Barack Obama of being responsible for the annexation of the peninsula. “President Obama has let it happen,” he stated.
Spokesperson of the White House Sarah Huckabee Sanders recalled that the U.S. did not recognize the Crimean peninsula’s Russian occupation. She affirmed that the sanctions against Russia would remain in force until the Crimea is returned under Ukrainian control.