Stink Eye Game: So, Who Will
Blink First
Putin: “Дональд (Donald), Give me back our compounds or else”
[Or else what Товарищ президент (Comrade President), um]
I
can’t be sure – who can really – but I’m certain that the meeting between Trump
and Putin in Germany at the G20 will be tense to say the least.
How
much will be made public remains to be seen. But, the world is about to see the
real “Art of the Deal,” or maybe “Art of the Con” but from which side is the
key question.
Story from ABC News here: Russian President Putin will demand the return of
two diplomatic compounds seized by the United States when he meets in Germany
this week with Trump for the first time. A senior Russian official warned that
Moscow’s patience on the issue was running out.
Putin’s
foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said his government showed “unusual flexibility”
by not retaliating last December when then-President Obama confiscated the two
compounds in NY and MD, then and expelled 35 Russian diplomats as punishment
for Moscow’s alleged meddling in the 2016 election.
Ushakov
urged Washington to “free Russia from the need to take retaliatory moves”
according to various sources, and in recent days Russian officials have warned
that retaliatory measures have been drawn
up if the compounds are not returned.
The
Trump White House has reportedly been mulling returning the compounds in an
effort to improve relations with Moscow.
FYI: The compounds were nominally used by the Russian Embassy as
recreational facilities, however, U.S. intelligence has long argued they were
bases for espionage.
So, here we are today. Two giants are about to lock horns and we are
apt to see some serious stuff. Who will bend to the other’s demands?
What a sticky situation.
As I said, “Art of Deal” or “Art of the Con” in play on that stage?
Whew, boy – hang on tight.
No comments:
Post a Comment