But Democrats still wouldn’t get it.
Via Fox News:
President Trump called for Moscow to stop fueling global unrest on the eve of his highly anticipated meeting with Vladimir Putin, indicating his first sit-down with his Russian counterpart won’t be all smiles and handshakes.
The U.S. president, though, also faced tough Democratic criticism Thursday for “casting doubt” during a press conference on whether Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election.
The reaction reflects the tricky balancing act ahead as Trump prepares for the Putin meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Germany. Trump arrived in the country on Thursday, meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Hamburg, ahead of Friday’s planned meeting with Putin.
Trump frequently has said he wants the U.S. to get along with Russia and has rejected allegations of ‘collusion’ between his associates and Russia last year. At the same time, Trump has an interest in reining in Russia’s destabilizing activities around the world — and confronting Putin about them.
Trump took an initial step toward that goal during his rousing speech in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday morning, openly criticizing Russia’s policies on the global stage.
“We urge Russia to cease its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere, and its support for hostile regimes including Syria and Iran, and to join the community of responsible nations in our fight against common enemies and in defense of civilization itself,” Trump said.