PRESS RELEASE
All Eyes on Expected Putin-Trump Meeting
June 28, 2017 (EIRNS)—The Chinese President has been invited by the Presidents of Russia and Germany for state visits prior to the G20 summit, before the latter begins in Hamburg on July 7. This will be the first encounter between the Presidents of China and Germany (Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the latter having moved from his post as German foreign minister to the presidential post in March of this year. Xi, who will make the two visits to Moscow and Berlin between July 3 and 6, will also meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Xi’s July 3 meeting with Putin can be expected not only to tune both leaders’ acting at the G20 Summit, but to include as well an exchange of views against the background of the Chinese President’s constructive meeting at Mar-a-Lago with U.S. President Donald Trump—with whom Putin is expected to meet on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the press in Krasnodar today, that he expected the Putin-Trump meeting would occur.
"We assume that contact will take place, since the two presidents will be at the same time in the same city, the same building, the same hall. It won’t be right, I guess, if they aren’t able to talk there and to discuss a lot of issues... First of all, we should try to achieve normalization of dialogue, so that the dialogue is based on the fundamental interests of both Russia and the U.S."
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel added his voice to those favoring such a summit: "The Federal Government and I would hail a meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States in the G20 framework."
Little has been said officially so far about the Xi-Putin summit. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang announced yesterday that
"During this visit [to Russia], the Chinese president will have a meeting and talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders will exchange views on deepening the relations of comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperation and strengthening political trust between the two countries. They will also raise some pressing bilateral and international issues of mutual interest,"
the diplomat added.
Over recent months both presidents have pointed to this meeting in particular, as of decisive importance in coordinating policies between China and Russia, with an emphasis on further aligning the outlook and projects of the Eurasian Economic Union and Belt and Road Initiative. In its coverage of the upcoming summit, The BRICS Post commented:
"Putin and Xi have announced earlier that the two sides are working on plans for docking China’s ambitious Silk Road project and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union."
The publication added:
"On Monday [July 3], Putin-Xi talks are expected to focus on economic cooperation as well as ways to strengthen global strategic stability. The two allies are united in their opposition to deployment of anti-missile systems in Asia and Eastern Europe, saying those who deploy them often acted under false pretenses. Beijing and Moscow are also united in their opposition to the unseating of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad by external forces."
