German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled rapprochement on Saturday at a summit in Germany focusing on the pipeline expansion, the Ukraine crisis and the Syrian civil war. Amid the challenges posed by U.S. President Donald Trump, the invitation from Merkel to Putin is considered as a sign of rapprochement after years of antagonism. This was Putin's highest profile bilateral visit to Germany since Russia annexed neighboring Ukraine's Crimea region four years ago. The two leaders had last met in Sochi in southern Russia in May. The meeting came as the two countries seek to complete the Nord Stream 2, an expansion of an existing natural gas pipeline between the two countries under the Baltic Sea. "We will speak about the possibility of establishing a U.N. mission to serve a role in the peace process" in Ukraine, Merkel said after welcoming Putin at Schloss Meseberg, the chancellery's official guest house outside Berlin. Germany is "ready to take … [Read more...] about Challenged by Trump, Merkel, Putin signal rapprochement
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Professor Beril Dedeoğlu: Trump’s aggressive attitude not a sustainable policy
Speaking to the Daily Sabah on the recent crises in Turkish-U.S. relations, Galatasaray University faculty member and former EU Minister Prof. Dr. Beril Dedeoğlu expressed that the U.S. President Donald Trump administration is pursuing the "brinkmanship" policy, which is about punishing other countries for deviating from a set course, against Turkey. Dedeoğlu asserted that Turkey's only fault was preferring negotiations in order to establish peace and alliance in the region. "In Trump's mind, the people of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel do not exist. There are only governments or leaders there who are prepared to implement his policies. Turkey refutes this by affirming these peoples existence," she said. Dedeoğlu stated that the U.S. is not the only power in the global system and underscored the impracticality of Trump's policies. She said issues between the two countries emerged due to different strategic outlooks, she said the F-35 issue and issues related to American … [Read more...] about Professor Beril Dedeoğlu: Trump’s aggressive attitude not a sustainable policy
‘Truth isn’t truth’: Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani worries Mueller interview could lead to perjury charge
Fredreka Schouten USA TODAY Published 7:25 p.m. UTC Aug 19, 2018 WASHINGTON – Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Sunday said he won't let special counsel Robert Mueller rush him into an interview with the president, arguing investigators could trap him into lying based on their interpretation of the facts. "I'm not going to be rushed into having him testify so that he gets trapped into perjury," Giuliani said during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press." "When you tell me, 'You know, that he should testify because he's going to tell the truth, and he shouldn't worry,' well that's so silly because it's somebody's version of the truth, not the truth," Giuliani said. Giuliani, a former New York City mayor who has become the leading voice on Trump's defense team, then entered into a unusual back-and-forth with "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd about the definition of truth. "Truth is truth," Todd replied. "No, it isn't truth," Giuliani … [Read more...] about ‘Truth isn’t truth’: Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani worries Mueller interview could lead to perjury charge
The Times of Israel: Top Trump adviser: US, Israel, Russia all want Iran out of Syria
Picture: AFP Tel Aviv. US National Security Adviser John Bolton on Sunday said the US, Israel, and Russia agree that Iranian-backed troops must be removed from Syria, The times of Israel writes. Bolton was on his first visit to Israel since he replaced H.R. McMaster as US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser in April. Following his trip to Israel, Bolton will travel to Ukraine and Geneva, where he will follow up with Russian officials on Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month in Helsinki. Ahead of a Monday meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bolton told ABC’s “This Week” that getting Iranian forces to withdraw from Syria was a goal shared by the Washington, Jerusalem, and Moscow. “Certainly the objective of the United States, of Israel, President Putin said it was Russia’s objective is to get Iran — Iranian forces, Iranian militias, Iranian surrogates out of the offensive … [Read more...] about The Times of Israel: Top Trump adviser: US, Israel, Russia all want Iran out of Syria
Trump adviser Bolton meets Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss ‘Iranian aggression’
President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton has met with Israel's prime minister in Jerusalem to discuss Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement Sunday saying the premier looked forward to discussing ways to roll back what he described as "Iran's aggression in the region." Bolton was quoted by Israeli media as having told Netanyahu that Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs were "right at the top of the list" of issues to discuss. Bolton has been a strident critic of the nuclear deal signed between world powers and Iran, which the United States backed out of earlier this year. He has pushed for greater pressure on Tehran to ensure it halts support for terrorism and its development of ballistic missiles and a nuclear weapons program. … [Read more...] about Trump adviser Bolton meets Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss ‘Iranian aggression’