US President Donald Trump said in the interview with Fox News that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had "a very long meeting, and it was a good meeting." According to Trump, Putin "was very, very strong."
"We discussed a wide range of critical issues for both our countries. We had a productive dialogue, it went very well," Trump said, speaking at a news conference after their meeting in Finland’s capital Helsinki.
"It was just the two of us and interpreters," Trump said, "and at the end of this meeting, I think we really came to a lot of good conclusions."
"I think we're doing really well with Russia as of today. I thought we were doing horribly before today. I mean, horribly, dangerously. I think it was great today, but I think it was really bad five hours ago. I think we really had a potential problem," he continued.
The president said the biggest issue between Russia and the United States has been nuclear proliferation, pointing out how the two countries account for "90%" of the world's nuclear weapons "and we've had a phony, witch hunt deal drive us apart," speaking about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.
Trump said that Putin told him: "What a shame.’ He felt it was very hard for me to make a deal because of all this nonsense."
When asked if Putin had any compromising or damaging information on Trump from his time in Russia, Putin told reporters that he had heard of such a rumor, but that when Trump visited Russia for the Miss Universe pageant, he claimed, "I didn't even know he was in Moscow."
"Back then, when he was a private individual, a businessman, no one informed me he was in Moscow," claimed Putin.
Trump responded as well, saying that if Russia had any compromising material on him, "it would have been out long ago."
"This was a very constructive few hours that we spent together It’s in the interest of both of our countries to continue our conversation and we have agreed to do so.I’m sure we’ll be meeting again In the future often and hopefully we will solve every one of the problems we discussed today," Trump concluded.
First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, Vladimir Dzhabarov, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, welcomed the courage of Donald Trump, who arrived for holding negotiations with Vladimir Putin in spite of the difficult domestic political situation in the United States. "He tried to avoid this meeting for almost 1.5 years due to a variety of reasons, while our president constantly said that we are ready to meet at all levels. Nevertheless, Trump got up the nerve and hold the desired talks. The very fact that the presidents met is good, they were able to discuss a wide range of international problems and stress that the rubble that was piled up under Obama, Bush Jr. and Clinton should be gradually cleared," the senator said.
"The topics of their negotiations are the main topics on the world agenda. Of course, it will be hard times for Trump, a barrage of criticism from the Democrats has already fallen on him. But I hope on his will power and the fact that he enjoys the support of the American people. Yesterday's press conference confirmed once again that Russophobia is just a tool for internal struggle that is going on in the US establishment between the two parties, Republican and Democratic ones," Vladimir Dzhabarov said.
A member of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education, Culture, a representative of the executive body of state power of the Ryazan Region, Igor Morozov, in turn, described the positive tone of the dialogue between the two leaders as extremely important. "Of course, it will not come quickly, the US media outlets were furious because Trump had a meeting with Putin without making any claims about fictional accusations - no doubt the political class in the US is still anti-Russian," the senator said.
"Because of this, it will not be easy for Trump to discuss the global challenges that should be solved by Russia and the United States together: international terrorism, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the prohibition of the militarization of outer space, and disarmament issues. And still Trump made the first step in spite of all the circumstances. When he said that everything had changed after the talks, I think he meant that a new dialogue has been started and the relations between Russia and the United States will change," Igor Morozov noted.
