JRL NEWSWATCH: “What Should the World Expect from the Trump-Putin Summit? However fractured the relationship, it makes sense for the world’s two nuclear superpowers to sit down together and re-establish some of the channels of communication.” – The National Interest/Angela Stent
“… Trump has been consistent in his desire to make a ‘deal’ with … Putin …. ‘Russiagate’ investigations [have impacted that prospect] …. Given the tense state of U.S.-Russian relations and the paucity of high-level contacts, there are strong arguments for Trump to hold a summit with Putin. … it makes sense for the world’s two nuclear superpowers to … re-establish some of the channels of communication … cut off after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and war in southeastern Ukraine. The list of issues … is long: Ukraine, Syria, Iran, North Korea, terrorism and cyber interference. The Russian side would clearly also like to discuss sanctions – although since the U.S. Congress passed the CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions) Act last August, the president’s ability to lift sanctions is limited. * * * The New START treaty limiting strategic nuclear weapons expires in 2021. …. [T]he summit could also produce surprises. Trump will come to the meeting after attending a NATO meeting …. They would like to avoid a repeat of what happened earlier this month, when Trump left a contentious G-7 summit refusing to sign the final communique ….”