Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 17 July 2018

Russian media suggest Putin-Trump summit a step forward

By ANGELA CHARLTON the European Union hostile,
JIM HEINTZ troublesome or irrelevant
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian also welcomed Trump's
media saw Monday's high- criticism of longtime Euro-
ly anticipated summit be- pean allies as "foes" of the
tween Vladimir Putin and U.S.
Donald Trump as a heart- Russia's state-run Channel
ening step forward, with One said Trump's meetings
the Kremlin leader as the in Britain and his conten-
more prominent figure. tious appearance at the
After their joint news con- NATO summit last week
ference in Helsinki, Rus- were secondary to Mon-
sia media also took some day's summit, saying: "Af-
swipes at U.S. journalists for ter all, he was just passing
focusing on alleged Russian through Brussels and Lon-
interference in the 2016 U.S. don on the way to Helsinki."
presidential election that Ahead of the summit, Rus-
brought Trump to power. sian media did have rather
"To me, it's the only ques- modest expectations of
tion that interests the Amer- how much Putin could con-
ican press," reporter Yegor cretely achieve.
Kolyvanov said on NTV, a Before he arrived, Trump
Kremlin-controlled national denounced the U.S. news
TV channel. media as the "enemy of
"Putin assured the entire the people," despite con-
world that he did not inter- stitutional protections for
fere," declared Olga Ska- President Vladimir Putin speaks during a press conference after the meeting of President Donald freedom of the press.
beyeva on state channel Trump and President Vladimir Putin at the Presidential Palace in Finland. The Russian media scene is
Rossiya-1. Associated Press a different beast. Under Pu-
The channel's report gave tin, the Russian government
clear precedence to Putin, also has great meaning for in line with what the Russian monthlong World Cup. has assumed control or
running lengthy excerpts of peace, for stability in the media said in the hours be- Universally sympathetic to sway over most broadcast-
his comments, with fewer, world," upper house speak- fore the meeting. Trump, they described the ers and mainstream media
shorter soundbites from er Valentina Matvienko Russia's largely Kremlin- American as hobbled by and put pressure on criti-
Trump. told journalists. friendly TV networks, web- domestic political chal- cal reporting online. Putin is
If tangible results from the The state news agency RIA- sites and newspapers por- lenges — a problem that also regarded as creating
meeting were thin, the cer- Novosti quoted a political trayed Trump as a political Putin doesn't face after 18 a culture of violence and
emony of it and the civil analyst who believed Putin maverick who is being un- years of stifling opposition. impunity that has resulted
atmosphere between the appeared to be the stron- fairly targeted by his own Those challenges include in the killing of some out-
two world leaders received ger of the two leaders. compatriots. special counsel Robert spoken Russian journalists.
considerable attention and "This summit will cause a lot The Komsomolskaya Prav- Mueller's investigation. A protest sign posted on a
was interpreted as a move of criticism from the Demo- da newspaper dismissed Ultranationalist lawmaker Helsinki bus stop Monday
toward improving the cratic opposition, maybe the U.S. investigation into Vladimir Zhirinovsky was read "Unpleasant things will
soured relations between even part of the Republi- Trump's "mythical work for among those brushing off happen to journalists who
Washington and Moscow. cans," said Boris Mezhuyev, the Kremlin," and praised Friday's indictments of Rus- ask Putin questions."
"I saw two leaders today editor of the Politanalitika him for meeting Putin "de- sians accused of meddling Despite clear interest in
who can agree with each website. "Maybe (Trump) spite opposition from his in the 2016 election, calling Russia in Putin's meeting
other," Konstantin Kosa- will be told that he was own elite and the hysterics it implausible that a dozen with Trump, the summit
chev, head of the foreign not hard enough on Putin, of the media." Russians could have done wasn't the No. 1 item on
affairs committee of Rus- could not get Putin to ad- Panelists on Russia's popu- such damage. The argu- many Russian newscasts or
sia's upper house of parlia- mit interference in the elec- lar Sunday night talk show ments feed the Kremlin nar- websites on Monday morn-
ment, said on Rossiya-1. tion, that he did not rigidly "Vecher (Evening)" said Pu- rative that democracy is ing. That honor went to the
The meeting "plays a great defend the American point tin was going into the sum- dangerous unless it is care- World Cup, and Russia's
role not only in adjusting of view on questions about mit as the clearly stronger fully "managed." much improved global im-
and restoring normal politi- Syria and Ukraine." figure, notably coming off Russian commentators and age from successfully host-
cal dialogue, this meeting The reactions were largely his successful hosting of the editorialists who consider ing the tournament.q