bMural by the Lithuanian artist Mindaugas Bonanu shows Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in a passionate embrace (Credit: Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images)
“After all, however loudly Putin and Trump may have blown each other’s trumpets, the actual compatibility of their political temperaments remains to be seen. Kelly Grovier, BBC
The World’s eyes are on thees two men and our judgement is all in the Optics
The World no longer has a leader
European leaders, led by Merkel, have taken note of Trump’s isolationist, protectionist, xenophobic and climate-denying rhetoric and expressed their displeasure and determination now to go it alone. In a widely noted campaign speech in Germany Merkel appealed to national pride and European solidarity at the same time.
“The times when we could fully count on others are over, to a certain extent. I have experienced this in the last few days,” she said, referring to the Group of 7 meeting and the climate change issue.
“We Europeans must really take our destiny into our own hands, of course in friendship with the United States, in friendship with Great Britain, with other neighbors wherever possible, also with Russia. But we must know that we need to fight for our future ourselves, as Europeans, for our destiny.”
If Trump is Putin’s puppet who’s pulling the strings for Putin, one person stands out;
Jared Kushner is sort of like Donald Trump’s less savvy version of Don Corleone’s consigliere. But did he make the Russians an offer they couldn’t refuse? Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill
