The Latest: Trump, Putin agree election issue is hindrance
HAMBURG, Germany (KFB) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s second official visit to Europe (all times local):
2:45 a.m.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agree on one aspect of Moscow’s meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign: The issue has become a hindrance to better relations.
That’s according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who says the U.S. and Russian presidents had a “robust and lengthy” discussion about the interference, though Putin denied involvement.
Tillerson’s Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, says Trump accepted Putin’s assurances that Russia didn’t meddle in the U.S. election.
U.S. lawmakers of both parties had demanded that Trump not shy away from the issue in his highly anticipated meeting with Putin. Trump has avoided stating unequivocally in the past that Russia interfered, even as investigations proceed into whether his campaign colluded with Russians who sought to help him win.
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10:15 p.m.
Sen. Mark Warner says President Donald Trump shouldn’t relax any sanctions against Russia as lawmakers investigate that nation’s alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
The Virginia Democrat, vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, says Trump had undermined his case on Russia interfering in the presidential race well before he met Friday with Vladimir Putin.
Warner says statements by the administration that Trump pressed Putin on Russia’s efforts to influence the election “would have had much more force” if Trump hadn’t previously expressed doubts about who was behind cyberattacks.
Warner says Trump also hurt his case by previously criticizing the integrity of U.S. intelligence agencies that attributed the meddling to Russia.
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8:50 p.m.
House Speaker Paul Ryan says it’s no surprise that Russian President Vladimir Putin is assuring President Donald Trump that Moscow didn’t meddle in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Ryan was asked at a news conference about Putin’s comments made during a meeting with Trump on Friday on the sidelines of an international summit in Germany.
Ryan says he’d expect Putin “to deny what clearly he has done over the years, not just with the U.S. election but other elections throughout Europe.”
The Wisconsin Republican says that “it comes as no surprise to me Vladimir Putin would deny what we know they did.”
Ryan repeated that he doesn’t believe Russian interference in the presidential election affected its outcome. But he says that “nevertheless, they tried.”
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8:10 p.m.
Russia’s foreign minister says President Donald Trump has accepted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s assurances that Moscow didn’t meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Sergey Lavrov made the claim to reporters following Trump and Putin’s lengthy meeting on the sidelines of an international summit in Germany.
That account appears at odds with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s description of the meeting.
Tillerson said the president was “rightly focused on how do we move forward from what may be simply an intractable disagreement at this point.”
U.S. intelligence officials have blamed Russia for election hacking and other efforts to influence the election to help Trump win.
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8:02 p.m.
Russia’s foreign minister says that Russian military police will monitor a cease-fire in southwestern Syria, under a Russia-U.S. deal.
Sergey Lavrov tells reporters after talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump in Germany that the lengthy talks were “very constructive.” He says they touched on cybersecurity, Ukraine, North Korea and other issues.
Lavrov says the cease-fire deal was brokered by Russia, the U.S. and Jordan. He says Moscow and Washington will ensure the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access.
A monitoring center will be set up in Jordan, and the Russian military police will oversee its implementation
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7:55 p.m.
Leaders of the Group of 20 economic powers and their spouses have gathered at Hamburg’s spectacular new Elbphilharmonie concert hall.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were seated next to French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte.
The leaders applauded the summit host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as she took her place in the row behind the Trumps.
The leaders are hearing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, conducted by American Kent Nagano.
Merkel and her husband, Joachim Sauer, are classical music fans. Sauer rarely accompanies the chancellor on official business but was on hand for the G-20 and to host the concert alongside Merkel.
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7:53 p.m.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had “positive chemistry” during their first meeting.
Trump and Putin met for more than two hours Friday at an international summit in Germany. It was only scheduled to last 30 minutes.
Tillerson says the meeting was “very constructive.” He’s adding that “there was so much to talk about” that neither leader “wanted to stop.”
The top U.S. diplomat also says that first lady Melania Trump was sent into the meeting at one point to “see if she could get us out of there ”
But Tillerson says the meeting lasted another hour after the visit, joking that “clearly she failed.”
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7:45 p.m.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson the Russians have asked the U.S. for proof and evidence of their alleged interference in the 2016 election, which Russia denies.
Tillerson says the ask was made during a lengthy meeting in Germany between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He said the president pressed Putin on the issue and that they’d agreed to follow-up meetings.
That includes a new working group on cybersecurity and election interference.
Tillerson says that “the meeting was very constructive” and that the two leaders “connected very quickly.”
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7:44 p.m.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says that President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin “had a pretty good exchange” as to how to handle the threat of North Korea.
But Tillerson added Friday after the leaders’ meeting that the Russians “see it a little different than we do.”
The top U.S. diplomat is noting that Russia’s ultimate goal mirrors what the United States wants: the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
He sys the differences are the tactics used to achieve that goal. He isn’t elaborating.
Tillerson also says that, despite Trump’s recent tweet to the contrary, the U.S. has not “given up hope” that China will help with North Korea.
Trump and Putin met for more than two hours at an international summit in Germany.
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7:35 p.m.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the Trump administration sees no long-term role for the Assad family and the Assad regime in Syria.
Tillerson tells reporters at a briefing in Hamburg, Germany, that “how” Syrian President Bashar Assad “leaves is yet to be determined.” But he says he thinks there will be a transition away from the Assad government.
The United States and Russia announced an agreement Friday for a cease-fire in southwest Syria set to take effect July 9.
Tillerson describes the deal as the first indication of the Trump administration and Russia being able to work together in Syria.
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7:27 p.m.
President Donald Trump opened his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin by raising concerns about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tells reporters that Trump pressed Putin on the issue during their more than two-hour meeting on the sidelines of a summit of world leaders in Germany.
Tillerson says Putin denied any involvement during his more than two-hour meeting with Trump.
Tillerson says he thinks the president “is rightly focused on how do we move forward from something that may be an intractable disagreement at this point.”
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7:10 p.m.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he had a long conversation with President Donald Trump, and says that “many issues have piled up, including Ukraine, Syria, some bilateral and other issues.”
He says he and Trump also spoke about “fighting terrorism and cybersecurity” during their two-plus-hour meeting
Putin made the comments at the beginning of a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He offered apologies to Abe for running late after his meeting with Trump stretched far longer than originally scheduled.
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6:32 p.m.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spent more than two hours meeting Friday on the sidelines of a world leaders’ summit.
State Department spokesman RC Hammond says that the meeting in Hamburg, Germany lasted two hours and 16 minutes.
It had originally been scheduled for just 30 minutes.
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6:15 p.m.
A meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that was supposed to last a half-hour has stretched to more than 90 minutes.
Trump had originally been scheduled to depart the meeting site of the Group of 20 world leaders in Hamburg, Germany at 4:20 p.m. local time following his meeting with Putin.
But Svetlana Lukash, a Russian official accompanying Putin at the talks, said the meeting that began around 4 p.m. local time was still ongoing at 5:50 p.m.
The longer-than-scheduled meeting comes as US. officials say the United States and Russia have reached an agreement for a cease-fire in southwest Syria that is set to take effect on Sunday.
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5:44 p.m.
Hillary Clinton’s former campaign chair is telling President Donald Trump to “Get a grip” and get his “head in the game.”
John Podesta says on Twitter: “Dude, get your head in the game. You’re representing the US at the G20.”
Trump had tweeted earlier Friday that “Everyone” in Hamburg, Germany “is talking about why John Podesta refused to give the DNC server to the FBI and the CIA. Disgraceful!”
Trump is attending a summit of world leaders in the country.
Podesta said he saw Trump’s tweet during a stop on a cross-country road trip with his wife.
He says, “God only knows what you’ll be raving about on twitter by the time we get to Utah.”
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5:05 p.m.
President Donald Trump emphasized the importance of renegotiating a longstanding continental trade agreement in a meeting with his Mexican counterpart.
The White House said in a statement Friday that Trump and President Enrique Pena Nieto discussed ways “to help workers in both countries” as part of the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
The statement says the leaders also discussed regional challenges, including drug trafficking, illegal migration, and the crisis in Venezuela. It does not say whether they discussed Trump’s proposed U.S.-Mexican border wall.
A readout from the Mexican government said the two men underscored “the importance of modernizing” NAFTA in a way that “results in tangible benefits for the economies and societies of North America.”
Trump and Pena Nieto met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany.
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5:02 p.m.
President Donald Trump’s oldest son is complaining about the loud camera clicks that made it hard to hear his father and Russian president Vladimir Putin’s brief remarks to the press ahead of their highly-anticipated meeting.
Donald Trump Jr. asks on Twitter: “With all the Cameras clicking away rapid fire you can’t actually hear what they’re saying? How many pictures do you need of the same scene?”
Professional news photographers typically take dozens or hundreds of shots of the same event to capture a variety of angles and facial expressions.
Trump and Putin are meeting at the Group of 20 world leaders’ summit in Germany.
Reporters and photojournalists were allowed in the room for about two minutes to capture the scene.
Trump’s son is a frequent critic of the press.
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4:20 p.m.
President Donald Trump appeared informal and relaxed; Russian President Vladimir Putin was steely.
The first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders was the spotlight of an international summit in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, amid tensions between the two countries over Russian involvement in the U.S. presidential election.
Trump said that his discussions with Putin are “going very well.”
Speaking through a translator, Putin said they had spoken over the phone several times on “important bilateral and international issues,” but that phone calls are “never enough.” He said a face-to-face meeting is important to fostering “positive relations.”
Trump says, “We look forward to a lot of very positive things happening for Russia and the United States.”
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4:10p.m.
After months of anticipation and intrigue, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are sitting down for their first meeting.
The two exchanged brief pleasantries earlier Friday on the sideline of the G-20 summit of industrialized and developing nations.
Up front, Trump said he anticipates “a lot of positive things happening, for Russia, for the United States.”
Their first sit-down meeting is expected to last for about 30 minutes and touch upon several complex issues, from the Syrian conflict to Russia’s provocations in Ukraine.
However, the meeting also falls under the shadow of accusations that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election — and Trump is under pressure to raise those concerns with Putin in their first meeting.
Trump, on Thursday, said he believes Russia may have interfered in the election, but he said that he believes other countries may have been involved as well.
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3:28 p.m.
President Donald Trump was on the far left fringe at the Group of 20 summit — of the leaders’ group photo, that is.
Trump’s position as an outlier was merely a matter of protocol. Pride of place goes to the so-called G20 troika, consisting of current host German Chancellor Angela Merkel flanked by the host of the next meeting, Argentina’s Mauricio Macri, and the host of the last one, China’s Xi Jinping.
Trump wound up out on the wing between Indonesian President Joko Widodo and French President Emmanuel Macron. He has even less seniority than Trump does after being elected in May.
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2:50 p.m.
President Donald Trump is hailing Mexico’s president as his “friend” in their first face-to-face meeting since Trump took office.
Trump met with President Enrique Pena Nieto on the sidelines of an international summit in Hamburg, Germany, on Friday.
Pena Nieto was scheduled to be among Trump’s first international White House guests but abruptly canceled the visit after a public spat over Trump’s proposed border wall.
Trump maintains that he will build the border wall to keep drugs and criminals out of the U.S. — although those plans still remain unclear. He said Friday that he “absolutely” wants Mexico to pay for the wall.
Pena Nieto insists Mexico will not pay for the wall.
Trump said, “it’s great to be with my friend the president of Mexico”
Pena Nieto said he hopes to continue a “flowing dialogue.”
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1:28 p.m.
Anti-globalization protesters are keeping U. S. first lady Melania Trump from joining the spouses of world leaders attending an international summit in Germany.
Mrs. Trump’s spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, says Hamburg police haven’t cleared the first lady to leave the government guest house where she and President Donald Trump spent the night because of the protesters.
Spouses typically get together while leaders are in meetings during international summits like these.
Friday’s program for the spouses included a boat ride, lunch and a tour of a climate control center.
Mrs. Trump tweeted that she was thinking of those who were hurt during protests that began Thursday.
She says she hopes everyone stays safe.
Anti-globalization activists have set dozens of cars ablaze and tried to block leaders’ delegations from entering the grounds of the Group of 20 summit. Police have said at least 111 officers were hurt during Thursday’s clashes.
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1:18 p.m.
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first encounter at a leaders’ retreat in Hamburg, Germany was caught on tape.
The two leaders were seen shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries ahead of their planned formal, sit-down meeting in video posted to Facebook by the German Cabinet.
As officials gathered around a table, Trump outstretched his hand to Putin and then patted his elbow. Both men smiled.
Another brief video clip shows Trump casually patting Putin on the back as they stand side by side.
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1:07 p.m.
President Donald Trump is participating in a photo-op with other world leaders at an international summit in Germany.
Trump stood in the first row as the Group of 20 world leaders posed for their official “family portrait.” It’s a longstanding tradition.
Trump was spotted speaking with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on his way into the event.
He later stood next to and chatted with French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump will be visiting Paris next week in honor of Bastille Day.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stood on the opposite side of the stage.
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12:12 p.m.
President Donald Trump was spotted chatting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May as he sat down with fellow world leaders for a discussion on fighting terrorism at a German summit.
Merkel and Trump sat next to each other and exchanged pleasantries at the opening session of the Group of 20 leaders’ summit Friday.
Trump also chatted with May, who was seated immediately to his left. Russian leader Vladimir Putin sat several seats away.
Trump has alienated some U.S. allies with his decision to pull the U.S. out of an international climate agreement and his tough talk on trade.
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