Macron seeks fast-track in surprise meeting with Putin

[ucrdem]

Source: Deutsche Welle

The new French president will host Vladimir Putin next Monday, for a first meeting since he pledged to deal firmly with Russia. Despite rifts over Syria, Ukraine and cyber attacks, experts predict interesting talks.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to welcome his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to the Palace of Versailles on Monday for a surprise first meeting full of significance.

It is timed to coincide with the opening of an exhibition commemorating the 300th anniversary of Peter the Great's visit to France, which marked the start of Franco-Russian ties. For Putin, it will be the first one-on-one meeting with a French leader in five years.

Amid strained relations between the two countries, Macron has the opportunity to meet Putin without hosting him officially at the Elysee Palace, which would involve "all kinds of protocolar things," Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, head of the Paris office of the European council on foreign relations (ECFR), told DW.

Read more: http://www.dw.com/en/macron-seeks-fast-track-in-surprise-meeting-with-putin/a-38981587

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Meeting at Versailles tomorrow to open a Russian art exhibit.

[Motley13]

1. they will agree on one thing

dolt 45 is a complete asshole, maybe a step toward world peace.

[ucrdem]

2. LOL

Yes, they've got that much in common!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. While tRump flaps his little tweeter thumb, other countries are moving ahead. . . . nt

[hlthe2b]

4. Oh, that young President is just F..king with Trump!

First the handshake and now this.... !

[Leghorn21]

5. Hot damn. President Macron is just killin it with his assertive fearlessness.

Cojones to spare. And maybe we'll get to hear about their talks from the French press, and not TASS. How refreshing!

How proud France must be to have such a leader!

[dalton99a]

6. "a cold-blooded and hard-headed discussion"

France is in good hands with Macron

[DallasNE]

7. Macron Has A Mandate

Having won in a landslide, unlike Trump who lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes. My guess is that he has spoken to Merkel about this and has her full backing. After all, she is the one that has stated that the UK and USA cannot be counted on so this is just the beginning of things to come. I wish him well.

[blue-wave]

8. Vive la France!

Let us not forget that it was the French who helped us found our great nation. Without their military assistance during the revolutionary war, the United States of America might not even exist. They are a people with a long history of loving freedom dearly and are willing to fight for it! Give 'em hell Monsieur le Président Macron. Kick some ass and take names later.

[AgadorSparticus]

9. It is clear that France and Germany have stepped up to fill the void from the U.S.

since agent Orange has relegated the u.s. as irrelevant, Putin must be a little concerned now about his influence on NATO. Especially since Europe seems to be wise to his hacking tricks.

Should be interesting to see what transpires...

[ucrdem]

10. I also see this as a positive development.

Frankly if I were France I'd be more alarmed at what Merkel is saying than by the cyberthreat posed by Russia. Last time "we Europeans" took fate into their own hands they wound up occupying France for four years. Fortunately they were anxious not to do too much damage to Paris at least but next time they might not be so careful. And yes this is partly on team Trump which seems to have forgotten that preventing Germany from rearming was what NATO was largely about. Or maybe they didn't forget and they're looking forward to making bank on WWIII. In any case Germany rising is not a comforting prospect.

[furtheradu]

11. K & R.. nt