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Trump Questions Putin on Election Meddling in Eagerly Awaited Encounter Trump Questions Putin on Election Meddling in Eagerly Awaited Encounter
(35 minutes later)
HAMBURG — President Trump confronted President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Friday during an epic first face-to-face meeting about Moscow’s interference in the 2016 elections, but American officials said he quickly pivoted to how they could work together, including on combating cyber attacks and de-escalating the Syria war. HAMBURG — President Trump questioned President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Friday about Moscow’s interference in the 2016 elections, using their epic first face-to-face meeting to directly raise what has become a vexing political issue for the White House.
Mr. Putin denied any meddling, and aides for both offered differing versions of the exchange. But they also said the two leaders quickly turned to how they could work together, including on combating cyber attacks and de-escalating the Syria war.
In a more-than-two-hour meeting that was so all-consuming that even Mr. Trump’s wife Melania failed to pry the two leaders apart halfway through, Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin established “positive chemistry” and spoke about a range of issues, said Rex W. Tillerson, the secretary of state. He was the only other American official in the session, which also included Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov of Russia.In a more-than-two-hour meeting that was so all-consuming that even Mr. Trump’s wife Melania failed to pry the two leaders apart halfway through, Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin established “positive chemistry” and spoke about a range of issues, said Rex W. Tillerson, the secretary of state. He was the only other American official in the session, which also included Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov of Russia.
The Trump-Putin meeting eclipsed the rest of the agenda at the Group of 20 summit meeting and was seen as a potentially perilous moment for the American president, who has been shadowed by questions of Russian collusion in the presidential election since before he took office in January. The Trump-Putin meeting eclipsed the rest of the agenda at the Group of 20 summit meeting and was seen as a potentially perilous moment for the American president, who has been shadowed by questions of Russian collusion in the presidential election to help him win.
But the talks with Mr. Putin oddly turned into a bright spot for Mr. Trump on the first full day of the summit meeting, where the United States found itself increasingly ostracized by other G20 members on major issues including climate, immigration and trade.But the talks with Mr. Putin oddly turned into a bright spot for Mr. Trump on the first full day of the summit meeting, where the United States found itself increasingly ostracized by other G20 members on major issues including climate, immigration and trade.
Tension between Trump administration officials and their counterparts in the European Union was especially apparent, signaling a weakening of American influence at the gathering and raising strong doubts about whether participants would be able to devise a final communiqué that would even include the United States.Tension between Trump administration officials and their counterparts in the European Union was especially apparent, signaling a weakening of American influence at the gathering and raising strong doubts about whether participants would be able to devise a final communiqué that would even include the United States.
For Mr. Trump, however, the main focus, at least for part of the day, was domestic American politics.For Mr. Trump, however, the main focus, at least for part of the day, was domestic American politics.
In a stark shift, Mr. Trump, who had equivocated as recently as the day before over whether Moscow was solely responsible for the 2016 hacking, broached the subject with Mr. Putin, telling him that Americans were concerned about Russia’s interference. But he threatened no consequences for the meddling, and when Mr. Putin denied it, he agreed that the two must get past an issue that had become a “hindrance” in the United States-Russia relationship, Mr. Tillerson said.In a stark shift, Mr. Trump, who had equivocated as recently as the day before over whether Moscow was solely responsible for the 2016 hacking, broached the subject with Mr. Putin, telling him that Americans were concerned about Russia’s interference. But he threatened no consequences for the meddling, and when Mr. Putin denied it, he agreed that the two must get past an issue that had become a “hindrance” in the United States-Russia relationship, Mr. Tillerson said.
“The president’s rightly focused on, ‘How do we move forward from what may be simply an intractable disagreement at this point?’ ” Mr. Tillerson told reporters after the meeting. He said the two focused on how the United States could secure a commitment from Russia that it would not seek to disrupt American democracy, or that of other countries, in the future.“The president’s rightly focused on, ‘How do we move forward from what may be simply an intractable disagreement at this point?’ ” Mr. Tillerson told reporters after the meeting. He said the two focused on how the United States could secure a commitment from Russia that it would not seek to disrupt American democracy, or that of other countries, in the future.
“There was not a lot of relitigating of the past,” Mr. Tillerson said.“There was not a lot of relitigating of the past,” Mr. Tillerson said.
But in a sign of the challenges and tension still standing in the way of turning over a new leaf in the United States-Russia relationship, the Kremlin quickly provided an alternative account, asserting that Mr. Trump had accepted Mr. Putin’s denial of the election cyber interference and even said that some in the United States were “exaggerating” Moscow’s interference without proof.But in a sign of the challenges and tension still standing in the way of turning over a new leaf in the United States-Russia relationship, the Kremlin quickly provided an alternative account, asserting that Mr. Trump had accepted Mr. Putin’s denial of the election cyber interference and even said that some in the United States were “exaggerating” Moscow’s interference without proof.
Mr. Lavrov told reporters that “President Trump said that he heard the clear statements of President Putin that this is not true, and that the Russian leadership did not interfere in these elections, and that he accepts these statements.”Mr. Lavrov told reporters that “President Trump said that he heard the clear statements of President Putin that this is not true, and that the Russian leadership did not interfere in these elections, and that he accepts these statements.”
Mr. Trump, according to Mr. Lavrov, “mentioned that certain circles in the U.S. are still exaggerating, although they cannot prove this, the topic of Russia’s interference with the U.S. election.”Mr. Trump, according to Mr. Lavrov, “mentioned that certain circles in the U.S. are still exaggerating, although they cannot prove this, the topic of Russia’s interference with the U.S. election.”
Both sides agreed that the two leaders had been eager to move on from the dispute and discuss other matters, including a new effort to combat cyberthreats and a cease-fire to begin as early as Sunday in a limited area of southwestern Syria.Both sides agreed that the two leaders had been eager to move on from the dispute and discuss other matters, including a new effort to combat cyberthreats and a cease-fire to begin as early as Sunday in a limited area of southwestern Syria.
While such a step in Syria would be small, it appeared to reflect a desire by American and Russian officials to move past their tense flare-ups over the Syria conflict and facilitate a way to end the six-year civil war there. Moscow has been backing the government of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria while the United States has sought to aid opposition groups fighting to oust him.While such a step in Syria would be small, it appeared to reflect a desire by American and Russian officials to move past their tense flare-ups over the Syria conflict and facilitate a way to end the six-year civil war there. Moscow has been backing the government of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria while the United States has sought to aid opposition groups fighting to oust him.
“I think this is our first indication of the U.S. and Russia being able to work together in Syria,” Mr. Tillerson said.“I think this is our first indication of the U.S. and Russia being able to work together in Syria,” Mr. Tillerson said.
Trump administration officials had said that Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin would discuss the idea of partnering to establish “safe zones” in Syria as part of his efforts to usher in a new era of cooperation with Moscow.Trump administration officials had said that Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin would discuss the idea of partnering to establish “safe zones” in Syria as part of his efforts to usher in a new era of cooperation with Moscow.
Announcing it on Friday gave Mr. Trump a tangible achievement coming out of a risky and heavily scrutinized meeting with Mr. Putin, which had been fraught with expectations and suspicion amid investigations into whether the president’s campaign colluded with Russia in efforts to sway the 2016 election on his behalf.Announcing it on Friday gave Mr. Trump a tangible achievement coming out of a risky and heavily scrutinized meeting with Mr. Putin, which had been fraught with expectations and suspicion amid investigations into whether the president’s campaign colluded with Russia in efforts to sway the 2016 election on his behalf.
The two presidents smiled, shook hands and praised each other, saying they hoped for a productive relationship.The two presidents smiled, shook hands and praised each other, saying they hoped for a productive relationship.
“President Putin and I have been discussing various things, and I think it’s going very well,” Mr. Trump said at the start of the meeting, as both men sat spraddle-legged in chairs arranged side by side. They clasped hands and leaned in to listen to each other.“President Putin and I have been discussing various things, and I think it’s going very well,” Mr. Trump said at the start of the meeting, as both men sat spraddle-legged in chairs arranged side by side. They clasped hands and leaned in to listen to each other.
“We look forward to a lot of very positive happenings for Russia, and for the United States, and for everybody concerned. And it’s an honor to be with you.”“We look forward to a lot of very positive happenings for Russia, and for the United States, and for everybody concerned. And it’s an honor to be with you.”
Mr. Putin said he was happy to have the chance to meet Mr. Trump in person. “We spoke over the phone,” he said, “but phone conversations are never enough, definitely.”Mr. Putin said he was happy to have the chance to meet Mr. Trump in person. “We spoke over the phone,” he said, “but phone conversations are never enough, definitely.”
He added: “I hope that, as you have said, our meetings will yield positive results.”He added: “I hope that, as you have said, our meetings will yield positive results.”
The two also discussed the matter of Ukraine as Mr. Trump pushes forward on a new effort to get Russia to cease its interference there. Mr. Tillerson on Friday announced he had named a new envoy, Kurt Volcker, to negotiate on the matter. Mr. Volcker, a former NATO ambassador and official at the National Security Council, was to accompany Mr. Tillerson to Kiev on Sunday would hold regular meetings with Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France.The two also discussed the matter of Ukraine as Mr. Trump pushes forward on a new effort to get Russia to cease its interference there. Mr. Tillerson on Friday announced he had named a new envoy, Kurt Volcker, to negotiate on the matter. Mr. Volcker, a former NATO ambassador and official at the National Security Council, was to accompany Mr. Tillerson to Kiev on Sunday would hold regular meetings with Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France.