Trump: Meeting with Putin will be 'easiest' part of Europe trip

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Europe

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin "may be the easiest" part of his upcoming European tour as he clashed with EU allies ahead of a NATO summit.

Trump left Washington early Tuesday for Brussels where leaders from the 29 members of the NATO alliance are hoping for a show of unity despite stark transatlantic tensions on a host of issues.

Speaking about his upcoming meetings on his European tour, including his first summit with Putin next Monday in Helsinki, Trump told reporters "frankly, Putin may be the easiest of them all. Who would think?"

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Da Nang, Vietnam, Nov. 11, 2017. /VCG Photo

When asked by reporters if Putin is a "friend or foe," Trump replied, "I really can't say right now," adding that "as far as I'm concerned, a competitor."

Ties between Washington and Moscow have slumped into a new low over Russia's alleged meddling in the US 2016 elections, Syria and Ukraine issues and their diplomatic disputes among others.

In a background briefing last week, US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman told reporters that issues concerning strategic balance and arms control will be "prominent" on the agenda during the summit.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Syria issues, as well as the alleged election meddling, will also "enter the picture," the ambassador added.

July 10, 2018: Flags are seen outside the Cinquantenaire, where NATO Heads of State and Government will gather for a working dinner as part of a NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium. /VCG Photo

Trump also vowed not to be "taken advantage" of by the European Union, which he accuses of freeloading by relying on the United States for its defense while blocking US imports into the bloc, one of the world's biggest markets.

"It's certainly going to be an interesting time with NATO," Trump told journalists. "NATO has not treated us fairly, but I think we will work something out. We pay far too much and they pay far too little."

This year's NATO summit will attract more attention than that of last year, not only because Trump will attend the event, but the Western alliance will face another pressure test following their rifts at their G7 summit last month in Canada.

(Top image: US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media as US First Lady Melania Trump listens before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 10, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP ,Xinhua News Agency