Presidents Trump and Putin Meet for First Time at G-20 Summit in Hamburg

President Donald J. Trump met Friday with Russian Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, in their first official sit-down. The highly-anticipated meeting came after President Trump slammed Russian for its “destabilizing” role in the region in his speech at Krasinski Square in Poland.

Given the controversy over alleged Russian influence in the U.S. presidential election–as well as the media and Democrats attempt to use debunked “collusion” theories to delegitimize President Trump–the first meeting occurred under a microscope.

“It’s an honor to be with you,” President Trump said, adding he hopes the meeting leads to “positive things” for both countries.

The President was elected in part due to his willingness to ease U.S.-Russian relations in the hope for cooperation in the effort to combat radical Islamists around the globe. But those hopes have been dashed amid media hysteria and Russian intervention in Syria and Eastern Europe.

Mr. Putin has not wavered in his support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, even after President Trump ordered airstrikes in response to the regime’s use of chemical weapons.

“We urge Russia to cease its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere and its support for hostile regimes including Syria and Iran, and to instead join the community of responsible nations in our fight against common enemies and the defense of civilization itself,” President Trump said in Warsaw.

The President also met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is the host of the G-20 summit, and had dinner with two Asian allies–Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The topic of the conversation was continued ballistic and nuclear testing by North Korea.