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Trump and Putin: Can the U.S. Forgive and Forget?

Trump and Putin: Can the U.S. Forgive and Forget?

After weeks of anticipation, U.S. President Donald Trump finally met face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany. The relationship between the two leaders has been characterized by lofty praise and suggestions of cooperation on the fight against ISIS. The relationship between their two nations, however, has seen harsh sanctions enacted against Moscow and sharp rebukes by members of the U.S. Congress for Russian meddling in the 2016 election, as well as high military and diplomatic tensions in Syria.

According to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s readout of the meeting, President Trump immediately brought up the issue of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. Although Trump reportedly pressed Putin on the issue, Putin denied interfering and asked for evidence.

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