US President Donald Trump is set to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska for a highly anticipated summit on Friday. The meeting comes as tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate, with Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine now in its fourth year.
The two leaders have met several times before, including at the 2017 G20 summit in Germany and an economic forum in Vietnam. While their public meetings are often warm and cordial, former officials who have dealt with either or both leaders behind closed doors paint a different picture.
Trump’s approach to private meetings is seen as less formal than Putin’s, which can be dominated by lengthy monologues that leave little room for his conversational partner to respond. To counter this, Trump has brought his own interpreter to meetings, including one earlier this year.
Putin, on the other hand, is known for his ability to control conversations and dominate discussions with sarcastic remarks in Russian, which can be lost in translation. Former Trump aide Fiona Hill recalled Putin’s behavior during their interactions, saying he often makes fun of Trump in a way that can’t be translated.
The two leaders have also shown different approaches to discussing sensitive topics like Ukraine. In 2018, Trump defended Russia over accusations of interfering in the US presidential election, siding with Putin over his intelligence agencies. This move sparked cross-party condemnation back home.
Despite these differences, Trump is still seen as eager to play the role of peacemaker and negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine. He recently warned that there would be “very severe consequences” if Putin did not agree to end the war.
The summit marks a significant moment in world politics, with many experts watching to see how the two leaders will approach Friday’s meeting in Alaska.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c86077zxdw2o