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US President Donald Trump Sunday ranked Russia among the "enemies" of the United States, on the eve of its historic summit with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, already tarnished by the investigation into Russian interference in the US presidential election.
Before attacking his European tour, Donald Trump had predicted that the Helsinki leg, where he must meet Vladimir Putin, would be the "easiest", but the latest declarations of the White House tenant may dampen hopes of relaxation between Washington and Moscow.
In an interview with CBS on Saturday, Donald Trump said Russia, the European Union and China were, for different reasons, "enemies."
"Russia is an enemy in some ways, China is an economic enemy, obviously it's an enemy, but that does not mean they're bad, it's not means nothing. That means they're competitive, "said Trump.
Leaving Scotland a little later for Finland, he still ensured on his Twitter account" look forward to meeting the president tomorrow " , Monday. Before adding: "Unfortunately, whatever results I get at the top […] I will be criticized on my return saying that it was not enough."
– Points of friction – [19659002] The US president and his Russian counterpart, whose every move will be scrutinized around the world, will meet in the Finnish capital at the end of a weekend "sport".
The first tasted to the joys of golf – his "main form of exercise" according to his terms – in his luxurious Scottish resort of Turnberry.
The second attended Sunday night at the final of the World Cup-2018 in Moscow that saw the France crowned at the expense of Croatia (4-2).
On this occasion, he was to hold talks with the heads of state of the two finalist nations, the Frenchman Emmanuel Macron and the Croatian Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. [19659002] If the steps of the 45th President of the United States in Brussels and London were agitated, marked by his virulent charges against his NATO allies, – Germany in the lead, accused of being "imprisoned" by the Russians – the points of friction between Washington and Moscow are not lacking.
Reunion in March 2014 of the Ukrainian Peninsula of Crimea by Moscow, support of Russia to the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, new US tariffs … The list is long.
The two presidents will meet first in head-to-head with their only interpreters at the presidential palace, before opening the meeting at their respective delegations for a working lunch.
The day will end with a joint press conference that could be high in color being Given the propensity of the real estate mogul to leap from one subject to another and to get angry with reporters.
– 'Very bad' relationships –
On the eve of their interview, between 2,000 and 2,500 people have my "for human rights" in Helsinki. Not far from the presidential palace hosting the summit, protesters denounced the policy of the two heads of state with the same virulence. "You sponsor the wars but it is Europe who pays the price," reads a banner.
Kira Vorlick, an American woman in her thirties, says she left her country "for get rid of Donald Trump. And according to her, "Trump should not have met Putin" after the indictment of twelve Russian agents accused of interfering in the US presidential election this week.
Will Donald Trump demand accountability? to Putin on this issue as in their other litigation, or will he instead make the round back and play the alliance of the leaders to grip like he did with the Chinese Xi Jinping and even the North Korean Kim Jong Un?
And what will be the strategy of the strong man of the Kremlin?
Regarding the indictment of twelve Russian intelligence agents in the investigation of the Kremlin interference in the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump committed to putting the subject on the table in Helsinki. "I absolutely and firmly ask the question," he said, hammering out that he was "much firmer on Russia than anyone else."
Russia also denies any interference, as it denies its responsibility in Novitok poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March in Salisbury, South West England
Officially, Moscow regards Donald Trump as a "negotiating partner". "The state of bilateral relations is very bad," conceded the Kremlin advisor Friday. "We must begin to restore them."
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