PRESS RELEASE
Trump Says He Would Invite Putin to the White House at Some Point; Reiterates Russia-U.S. Cooperation in Syria
July 14, 2017 (EIRNS)—At a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday, President Donald Trump strongly defended his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin; said that he would invite Putin to the White House at some point; and confirmed that the U.S. and Russia are working on a second cease-fire agreement in Syria, as a follow-up to the one he and Putin set in motion when they met.
When asked by reporters if he would extend an invitation to the Russian President to meet at the White House, Trump said: "I don’t think this is the right time, but the answer is yes, I would."
Trump went on to explain the significance of his first meeting with Putin:
"One of the great things that came out of this meeting, by the way, was the fact that we got the ceasefire that now has lasted for almost five days. Five days doesn’t sound like a long period of time. In terms of a ceasefire in Syria it’s a very long period of time. That was a result of having communication with a country. During that five-day period a lot of lives have been saved, a lot of people were not killed, no shots have been fired in a very, very dangerous part of the world, and this is one of the most dangerous parts of Syria itself."
Trump added:
"By having some communication and dialogue we were able to have a ceasefire, and it’s going to go on for a while. And frankly we’re working on the second ceasefire in a very rough part of Syria."
Asked about sanctions on Russia, Trump confirmed that he had discussed this with Putin:
"I would never take the sanctions off until something is worked out to our satisfaction and everybody’s satisfaction in Syria and in Ukraine," Trump said. "I’ve made great deals. That’s what I do. Why would I take sanctions off without getting anything?" he added.
In a July 12 interview with Pat Robertson of Christian Broadcast News (CBN), Trump also addressed his meeting with Putin:
"Sometimes you’re not going to get along on things and sometimes you will. But we had a good meeting, it was a face-to-face meeting, it was a long meeting. It was two hours and 15 minutes. Everyone was surprised by the amount of time, but that was a good thing and not a bad thing. Yeah, I think we get along very well, and I think that’s a good thing, that’s not a bad thing. People said, ‘Oh, they shouldn’t get along.’ Well, who are the people that are saying that? I think we get along very, very well. We are a tremendously powerful nuclear power, and so are they. It doesn’t make sense not to have some kind of a relationship."
Trump added:
"Well, he wants what’s good for Russia, and I want what’s good for the United States. And I think in a case like Syria, where we can get together, do a cease-fire, and there are many other cases where getting along can be a very positive thing, but always Putin is going to want Russia and Trump is going to want the United States, and that’s the way it is."
