Meeting with Putin ‘really good’ for Israel, President Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump’s meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin resulted in a “really good” outcome for Israel, the president told Fox News of the Helsinki Summit on 16 July.

“At the end of this meeting, I think we came to a lot of good conclusions. A really good conclusion for Israel – something very strong. He (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is a believer in Israel. He is a fan of Bibi (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nickname). And he is really helping him a lot, and we will help him a lot – which is good for all of us.

President Donald Trump came under heavy fire in America from both Republicans and Democrats for his comments at the joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on July 17.

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Trump lauded the closeness of the US-Israel relationship at the joint press conference. He said: “We’ve worked with Israel long and hard for many years, many decades. I think we’ve never – never has anyone, any country, been closer than we are.”

Trump displayed the United States’ closeness with Israel by moving the American embassy to Jerusalem and also by withdrawing from an international agreement which Israel opposed vehemently – the Iran nuclear deal.

Putin in his joint press conference said: “The south of Syria should be brought to the full compliance with the treaty of 1974, about the separation of forces of Israel and Syria. This will bring peace to the Golan Heights and bring [a] more peaceful relationship between Syria and Israel – and also provide security of the State of Israel.”

He added that Trump “paid special attention to the issue during today’s negotiations. And I would like to confirm that Russia is interested in this development and will act accordingly.”

Trump’s comments about Russia being a “a believer in Israel” came less than a week after Netanyahu traveled to Moscow for a meeting with Putin. The meeting was their third this year and ninth in the last three years, since Russia became heavily engaged militarily in Syria.

Netanyahu in posting a clip on of President Trump’s comments to Fox News to his Facebook said: “I will continue to strengthen Israel as a rising global force.”