We can’t afford silence between US & Russia, says German FM after Putin-Trump summit
Russian-US dialogue is crucial for international challenges and the world can’t afford silence between the two countries, the German foreign minister said, praising a landmark summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
“It's important that the US and Russia talk to each other. We can’t afford speechlessness between Washington and Moscow” on the Syrian conflict, Ukrainian crisis and on issues of arms control and disarmament, Heiko Maas told RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland media group in an interview released on Tuesday.
READ MORE: US no longer a fully reliable partner, we must ‘re-adjust’ relationship, says German FM
On Monday, all eyes were on the Finnish capital of Helsinki where Trump and his counterpart Putin held a landmark summit. Bombarded with questions, the leaders laid out at the press conference where US-Russia relations were heading.
Putin stressed that there are no objective reasons for Moscow and Washington not to get along, while his US colleague insisted that the event was not only "good" for the US and Russia but "for the world" as a whole.
The "Russian meddling" saga inevitably stole the limelight and both presidents discussed the issue in private as well as during their joint press conference. Putin yet again denied the allegations of Moscow’s interference in the 2016 US presidential elections, adding that Russia was ready to participate in a joint probe if any real evidence was presented.
Trump appeared to be convinced by Russia's President. "President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be," Trump said.
While Maas urged more diplomatic contacts between Moscow and Washington, US media as well as lawmakers and former politicians from all camps pulled no punches on Trump, claiming his position during a summit bordered on treason.
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