The much anticipated first meeting between Angela Merkel and Donald Trump has finally come and gone.Last Friday (17 March 2017) they met at the White House and, at their press conference, it was apparent that they may have differing views on how to end Putin's war with Ukraine.
Trump's rather perfunctory statement about Ukraine made absolutely no mention of the Minsk2 protocols.
Rather, it was Merkel who mentioned Minsk2, adding that Trump also commits himself to Minsk2.
Strangely, Trump refused to shake Merkel's hand after their meeting, which may be an indication that all is not well between the Chancellor of Germany and the President of the US.
Could this, by any chance, have anything to do with the fact that, as stated by German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel (right) on the same day as the Merkel-Trump meeting that,"It is important that Europe and the United States present a unified front and stick to the sanctions against Russia until there is progress in implementing the Minsk agreements," Gabriel said in an interview with the Passauer Neue Presse newspaper, to be published on Saturday." (Andrea Shalal : Reuters :
prolonged sanctions over actions against Ukraine's territorial integrity until 15 September 2017 (EU Council : 13/03/2017)
Was it this that Merkel relayed to Trump and that stuck in his throat, especially when viewed against his disgraced, and sacked, National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn? How, now, is he to pay back Putin for getting him into the White House?
This seeming chasm between the EU and Trump and his White House clan over Putin's war with Ukraine, and what measures should be taken to resolve it, is about to become more apparent as the US Congress and Senate continue to unravel Putin's role in influencing the outcome of the US presidential elections.
As also reported by CNN,
"Ukrainian
prosecutors want to question Paul Manafort (left) in connection with a
corruption investigation and have made repeated requests for assistance
from US authorities, CNN has learned.
Prosecutors
in Kiev said they have made seven separate appeals over the past two
years for help in questioning President Donald Trump's former campaign
manager, including letters to FBI Director James Comey and US Justice
Department officials. Ukrainian officials said the US has not responded
to those requests." (CNN : March 19, 2017) (my emphasis)
To-day's Senate hearing on Russia's involvement in the 2016 election may lead to the granting of the request of Ukrainian prosecutors to question Manafort on his role in the Yanukovich regime just prior to the Maidan revolution.
As reported by
On Monday, the House Intelligence Committee will hold its first, much-anticipated public hearing on Russia's involvement in the 2016 election. The hearing is significant because it will determine whether all the noise regarding Russia, Trump and the relationship between the two is grounds for further investigation.
There is quite a bit to look out for. But five key players will determine how much bigger this story gets. (James Comey, Sally Yates, David Nunes, Adam Schiff, Michael Flynn, and Donald Trump himself)" (CNN : March 20, 2017) (my emphasis)
And whilst the un-ravelling of the Trump White House clan's connections to Putin and the Kremlin continues apace,
"The Russian occupation forces mounted 26
attacks on the Ukrainian positions in the Mariupol sector. The village
of Vodiane came under fire from heavy machine guns, grenade launchers
and anti-aircraft guns. Moreover, at about 18:00 Kyiv time, the enemy
started shelling there, using 122mm artillery systems.Heavy machine guns were used to fire on Ukrainian positions near the villages of Pavlopil, Shyrokyne and Hnutove, while grenade launchers were used near the village of Lebedynske. The towns of Maryinka and Krasnohorivka came under mortar fire." (UNIAN : 20 March 2017) (my emphasis)
Both Trump and Putin have the Sword of Damocles dangling above their heads.
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