FRIEND OR FOE

Trump: Talks With Putin Might Be Easier Than NATO and Britain

Says he sees Putin as a "competitor" not a foe.

President Donald Trump said his easiest meeting on his foreign trip to Europe this week may be his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin—not the British prime minister or his Nato allies. Trump spoke to reporters Tuesday before leaving for the NATO summit in Brussels, the first stop on his European tour which will then take him to Britain for talks with Theresa May before meeting Putin in Finland next Monday. Trump has been strongly critical of NATO, and the U.K. government is currently in crisis following two high profile resignations from May's cabinet—foreign secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit minister David Davis. "I have NATO. I have the U.K., which is in somewhat turmoil," he said. "And I have Putin. Frankly, Putin may be the easiest of them all. Who would think?" Trump was asked if he sees Putin as a friend or foe, to which he replied: "I really can't say right now, as far as I'm concerned, a competitor. A competitor."