Trump attacks US ‘foolishness’ heading into Putin showdown, by AFP.

“Our relationship with Russia has NEVER been worse thanks to many years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity and now, the Rigged Witch Hunt!” Trump tweeted. …

In an interview with CBS News that aired before he touched down in Helsinki, Trump admitted that Russia remains a foe, but he put Moscow on a par with China and the European Union as economic and diplomatic rivals. …

Ahead of the talks, Trump has refused to personally commit to the US refusal to recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea, leaving open the possibility of a climb-down linked to a promise by Putin to somehow rein in Iranian influence in Syria.

The West made solemn verbal promises to the Russians in the early 1990s not to extend NATO West to Russia’s borders, but then did exactly that. The Western press rarely reminds us of this salient fact.