Rocky Summit: When Trump Met Putin:-
A summit between the leaders of the world’s strongest nuclear powers, which fought the Cold War for decades, is an opportunity to discuss areas of shared interest, find ways to dial down mutual tensions and work together to address global issues. But well before Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin sat down for their first formal summit meeting, in Helsinki, there were concerns that it would be overshadowed by allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The uproar in Washington over Mr. Trump’s remarks on the Russian meddlingscandal — with even accusations of treason — and his subsequent U-turn suggest that such concerns were valid. Mr. Trump could have certainly managed the summit better by addressing genuine concerns in the U.S. over allegations of Russia’s election meddling. Days earlier, the U.S. Justice Department indicted 12 Russian intelligence officials for hacking and leaking emails of top Democrats. It therefore seemed surreal when the President accepted the Russian version over that of his own intelligence agencies and the Justice Department. Away from the controversy, the closed-door meeting between the leaders can be evaluated only on the progress made on a number of contentious issues before both.
The new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is set to expire in 2021 and Russia has shown interest in extending it. For a consensus, high-level talks between the U.S. and Russia are needed. From the crisis in Ukraine to the civil war in Syria, Russia-U.S. cooperation is vital to finding lasting solutions. The Iran nuclear deal, for which Mr. Putin and Barack Obama worked together despite differences, is in a shambles. Most of these issues, including the threat posed by nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles, were discussed at the summit. But it’s not clear whether the talks will lead to any significant change in policies. Since the Ukraine crisis, the West has tried different methods, including sanctions and pressure tactics, to isolate Russia and change its behavior. But those methods have proved largely unsuccessful as Russia is now a far more ambitious foreign policy power with an enhanced presence in Eastern Europe and West Asia — even if its sanctions-hit economy is struggling. Instead of continuing a policy that has failed and ratcheted up global tensions, the Western alliance should junk its Cold War mentality and engage with Russia; Russia, in turn, will have to shed its rogue attitude and be more open and stable in its dealings. The stakes are high and the bitterness of the past should not hinder U.S.-Russia relations. That should have been the message from Helsinki.
WORDS AND MEANINGS:-
Uproar
Meaning: A loud and impassioned noise or disturbance.
Example: “The room was in an uproar”
Meddling
Meaning: Interfere in something that is not one’s concern.
Example: “I don’t want him meddling in our affairs”
Scandal
Meaning: An action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage.
Example: “A bribery scandal involving one of his key supporters”
Accusations
Meaning: A charge or claim that someone has done something illegal or wrong.
Example: “Accusations of bribery”
Treason
Meaning: The crime of betraying one’s country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government.
Example: “They were convicted of treason”
Controversy
Meaning: Prolonged public disagreement or heated discussion.
Example: “The design of the building has caused controversy”
Evaluated
Meaning: Form an idea of the amount, number, or value of; assess.
Example: “The study will assist in evaluating the impact of recent changes”
Contentious
Meaning: Causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial.
Example: “A contentious issue”
Consensus
Meaning: A general agreement.
Example: “There is a growing consensus that the current regime has failed”
Shambles
Meaning: A state of total disorder.
Example: “My career was in a shambles”
Tactics
Meaning: An action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific end.
Example: “The minority attempted to control the Council by a delaying tactic”
Ratcheted
Meaning: Cause something to rise (or fall) as a step in what is perceived as an irreversible process.
Example: “The Bank of Japan ratcheted up interest rates again”
Junk
Meaning: Discard or abandon unceremoniously.
Example: “Sort out what could be sold off and junk the rest”
Rogue
Meaning: A dishonest or unprincipled man.
Example: “You are a rogue and an embezzler”