The highly anticipated "Double Putin Summit" will make its dazzling debut tomorrow in Alaska. Being able to host the meeting on American "enclave" soil and face off with Putin directly, Trump considers it a "major diplomatic achievement" since his inauguration, which is very prestigious.
However, the president is upset that his own people are "boosting others' morale and undermining their own." Bolton, a former national security advisor during Trump's first term, openly claimed that "Putin has already won" in an interview with The Atlantic.
Bolton explained that regardless of the outcome of the "Double Putin Summit," as a head of state under Western sanctions, Putin being able to stand on American soil and take a photo with the U.S. president is itself a "major victory." If Trump hastily reaches an agreement at the expense of Ukraine and Europe's interests, it would be even more of a "strategic victory" for Putin.
Regarding his former subordinate's attack, Trump was angry. On August 13, he posted on the social media platform "Truth Social" responding:
"The extremely unfair media are making a big deal about my meeting with Putin, constantly citing the comments of those who were fired and failed fools, such as John Bolton. He said that despite the meeting taking place on American soil, 'Putin has already won.'
Trump also added in frustration that if he had taken Moscow and Leningrad without spending a penny, those 'fake news' would have said he made an unprofitable deal.
Leningrad was renamed St. Petersburg after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and Trump's memory (and perhaps his thinking) still lingers in the 1990s. No wonder some American media and "wise individuals" are worried about him.
The Financial Times recently published an article recalling that at the press conference following the 2018 Helsinki "Double Putin Summit," Trump publicly questioned the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence community, favoring Putin's denial of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. According to Fiona Hill, Trump's chief advisor on Russian affairs, she was extremely shocked by Trump's remarks at the time and even considered pretending to suddenly fall ill to interrupt the press conference.
The Financial Times expressed concern, stating that at the "Double Putin Summit" on August 15, there may no longer be a reliable advisor like Hill to step in at the critical moment. This time, the Russia-U.S. summit is being handled by real estate developer Witkow, who has no diplomatic experience, and Trump has already dismissed professional negotiators within the White House.
Tomorrow's "Double Putin Summit" will see Trump, who loves golf, and Putin, a black belt in judo, meet one-on-one again after seven years. What sparks will be created, and who will come out on top, we'll have to wait and see.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7538250526837490191/
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