US president hosts first foreign leader

World Today

After a U.S. presidential campaign which included allegations of Moscow meddling to favor the winner — Trump faced his first cracks in an international alliance against Russia’s influence in Europe.

CGTN’s Jessica Stone reports.

Just ahead of his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump isn’t making any promises on lifting sanctions on Moscow.

“If we can have a great relationship with Russia and with China and with all countries, I’m all for that. That would be a tremendous asset,” Trump said.

Trump found himself publicly differing from the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, during his first joint press conference with a foreign leader.

Just yesterday, May cautioned Trump to “engage but beware” when it comes to Putin.

“We believe the sanctions should continue until we get that Minsk agreement fully implemented.” she also stated.

Since the end of World War II, the Americans and the British have worked together to solve global problems, fighting shoulder to shoulder against the Taliban in Afghanistan, peacekeeping in conflict zones, and forming a coalition to fight ISIL.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has been the framework for that cooperation, but President Trump called its value into question on the campaign trail.

On Friday, the U.K. and the U.S. appeared to send the same message to their fellow NATO members: we support you, but we demand reform.

While Friday was the Trump White House’s first visit from a foreign leader, next week will no longer bring Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. But the two leaders did speak by phone Friday after a week of souring relations between Mexico City and Washington over who will pay for Trump’s proposed border wall.

“We are going to renegotiate our trade deals,” Trump stated. “We’re going to renegotiate other aspects of our relationship with Mexico. And in the end I think it will be good for both countries.”


Brian Beary talks about US-UK’s special relationship


John Allison speaks on the economic relationship between the US and UK