Trump-Putin Talks Raise Fears Ex-Spymaster to Get Upper Hand
- U.S. president new to diplomacy meets veteran of intrigue
- Encounter may set tone for relations the next four years
What to Expect From This Week's G-20 Summit
Donald Trump’s encounter with Russian leader Vladimir Putin is raising concern among veteran American diplomats and analysts about a mismatch between a U.S. president new to global affairs and a wily former Soviet spymaster experienced in the long game of strategy and statecraft.
Their highly anticipated meeting this week at the Group of 20 summit promises to set the tone for the next four years of U.S.-Russia relations. Putin -- who has been president or prime minister of Russia since 1999 -- has used his first face-to-face meetings with prior presidents to try to gain the upper hand.
A range of global issues hang in the balance, including continuing sanctions against Russia, checking Putin’s expansionist policies in the Ukraine, halting North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs, managing frictions over Syria and Iran, and preventing Russian interference in U.S. and European elections.