US President Donald Trump's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday is a significant event in global politics reminiscent of several notable past encounters.
These occurrences have often produced significant news stories, along with insights into the fascinating, unpredictable, and highly examined personal connection between the two leaders.
Reflecting on the visuals also provides insights into how they could tackle Friday's face-off in Alaska, where they will talk about concluding the war in Ukraine.
According to former officials who have interacted with either or both leaders privately, the two have distinctly different methods when it comes to private meetings
They met for the first time in July 2017 during a G20 summit in Germany. Only months after Trump took office, Putin had accumulated decades of political experience.
Before the world's cameras, they shared friendly remarks and a professional handshake, establishing a foundation for an overall amicable relationship. In the future, the pair continued to show their shared respect - yet Trump recently mentioned to the BBC that he felt "disappointed" with Putin regarding the violence in Ukraine.
Ukraine was mentioned during that initial meeting when Trump pointed out Russia's attempts to disrupt its neighboring country. Three years earlier, Moscow had unlawfully taken over the Crimean peninsula.
Jump to 2025 - with Putin's extensive invasion of Ukraine now in its fourth year - and Trump is keen to assume the role of mediator by arranging a ceasefire.
On Wednesday, Trump stated that there would be "very severe consequences" if the Russian president refused to agree to end the conflict. At times, he has adopted a gentler tone, stating that he merely sees the meeting as a "feel-out" activity.
In 2017, Trump and Putin met again at an economic forum in Vietnam. They were seen conversing with other global leaders, and one photo seemed to capture Putin whispering directly into his counterpart's ear.
According to diplomats who explained the Russian leader's style to the BBC, Trump will recognize Putin's knack for controlling discussions through long, fast-paced monologues that leave little room for his interlocutor to reply.
"Every aspect of meetings with Putin revolves around power," noted Sir Laurie Bristow, who served as the UK ambassador to Russia from 2016 to 2020. "Who determines the timing, the content, the agenda, the tone - the key is that you can never be sure of what you're going to receive."
Consequently, Sir Laurie remarked, "the interpreters might struggle to keep pace," and it was essential for Trump to have one of his own. Trump's representative, Steve Witkoff, supposedly depended on Kremlin translators during a meeting he held earlier this year.
Ex-Trump adviser Fiona Hill concurred with Sir Laurie, reflecting in a Telegraph interview on her experiences with Putin: "He does mock Trump." He employs the Russian language in a manner that can be very sarcastic and ironic. "It's completely miscommunicated."
The most apparent public show of camaraderie between Trump and Putin occurred when they held private discussions in Helsinki, Finland, in July 2018.
Trump supported Russia amid claims of meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and aligned himself with Putin against the evaluations of his own intelligence agencies. The action received widespread criticism from both parties back in the US.
The Helsinki gathering also created a memorable casual moment of Putin presenting Trump with a soccer ball from the recent men's World Cup that Russia had hosted.
According to Sir Tony Brenton, another former British ambassador to Russia, such gestures from Putin were always meticulously planned. Sir Tony remembered Putin displaying "old-world Russian courtesy" during meetings he attended in the mid-2000s, though "there was always an element of reserve beneath it, and he was never particularly spontaneous."
He stated: "The soccer balls and the laughter, the humor and things like that… he isn't inherently a 'friendly socializer,' but he makes an effort when he believes it's significant for the connection."
The duo convened for additional G20 summits in Argentina in November 201, and in Japan in June 2019.
John Bolton, Trump's ex-national security adviser with whom he eventually disagreed, attended the latter event. He mentioned to the BBC that he was impressed by the contrasting attitudes of the men towards detail, attributing it to Putin's background in the Soviet intelligence service.
Regarding Putin, he remarked: "I've only observed him as being composed, very calm, and quite rational in his manner, which I believe stems from his KGB background."
In contrast, Bolton remarked that Trump's style in private meetings resembled his public press conferences, as he often made unscripted comments that could astonish even his staff. "He doesn't truly get ready for them as he believes he doesn't require it; he feels the background information isn't necessary." "I'm certain they are putting together briefing materials like we always did, and he won't go through them."
Bolton stated that Trump thought a strong personal bond with another leader would lead to a strong relationship between their countries, and Putin was aware of this. "He will apply his KGB skills in an attempt to influence Trump." "He has accomplished it in the past and will accomplish it again."
Trump has minimized expectations for Friday's meeting in Alaska, stating: "I believe it will be beneficial." "However, it could be negative."
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