What Lies Ahead for the Putin-Trump Summit? Three "Tigers in the Road" Need to Be Solved

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that several key issues must be resolved between the United States and Russia before the Budapest Peace Summit can take place.

What did he mean by this?

Michael Maloof, a former senior analyst for security policy at the U.S. Department of Defense, said at least three issues related to Ukraine need careful consideration.

First, the expert explained to Russian state news agency Sputnik that Russia will not give up the territories it already controls; and has clearly stated that Ukraine should withdraw its forces from "new Russian regions." However, the current Kyiv government refuses this option.

Second, there is the issue of security arrangements. Maloof said, "In the post-conflict phase, would Western troops still be allowed into Ukraine? Because that would essentially make it a NATO fortress. And that's precisely what President Vladimir Putin is trying to avoid."

Russia has repeatedly warned that the deployment of military task forces involving NATO countries in Ukraine could lead to an uncontrolled escalation of the conflict and unpredictable consequences. The Russian Foreign Ministry assessed calls for EU and UK intervention as "openly provocative and predatory."

Third, the United States also needs to ensure that its NATO allies abide by any agreements signed with Russia.

Maloof concluded that once these issues are resolved, Russia and the United States "can advance bilateral issues of mutual concern in a more geographically strategic manner," including new arms control and nuclear weapons issues.

He added, "Therefore, there are some issues beyond the Ukraine problem itself, which need to re-coordinate U.S.-Russia relations so that we can reduce global tensions."

On October 16, Russian President Putin had his eighth telephone conversation with U.S. President Trump this year. After the two-and-a-half-hour call, Kremlin spokesman Ushakov stated that Moscow and Washington would immediately start preparing for a new meeting between the two leaders, which may be held in the capital of Hungary, Budapest. Ushakov pointed out that the U.S. proposed that Hungary host this meeting, and the Russian president supported it.

On October 22, U.S. President Trump said that he canceled the meeting with Russian President Putin in Budapest, but intended to meet with Putin later.

On October 26, Russian President's press secretary Peskov stated that U.S. President Trump was the first to propose that holding a summit in Hungary now was meaningless, and Russian President Putin also agreed.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848170537950471/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.