NATO Summit: Donald Trump meeting with Vladimir Putin ‘easier’

Donald Trump quips it might be easier for him to deal with Vladimir Putin than NATO leaders or a UK in Brexit turmoil.

Happier times? Then-British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump meet at a NATO summit in May, 2017. Photo: AP

Donald Trump has forecast that it will be easier to meet with the Russian president Vladimir Putin than what he is expecting at today’s NATO summit in Brussels and a visit to Britain later in the week.

The United States president said minutes before boarding Air Force One en route to Brussels that the recently departed British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson “is a great friend of mine”, noting that the UK was in a state of turmoil.

He said: “I have NATO, I have the UK which is in somewhat turmoil, and I have Putin. Frankly Putin may be the easiest of all. Who would think, who would think.”

He added: “The UK certainly have a lot of things going on. Boris Johnson is a friend of mine. He has been very nice to me. Very supportive. Maybe we’ll speak to him when I get over there. I like Boris Johnson. I’ve always liked him.”

When questioned about the future of British Prime Minister Theresa May, he said: “That’s up to the people. I get along with her very well, I have a very good relationship. That’s certainly up to the people, not up to me.”

But he admitted he had not spoken to Mrs May about the resignations of Mr Johnson and her Brexit secretary, David Davis.

Overnight, another two vice chair MPs of the Tory party resigned their positions. Ben Bradley and Maria Caulfield have told Mrs May they cannot support her Brexit plans, with Mr Bradley insisting that being tied to EU regulations and the EU tying Britain’s hands when seeking new trade agreements would be the worst of all worlds. Mr Bradley said it risked “handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to Number 10”.

Backbenchers have warned Mrs May she must reconsider the Brexit plan or have it voted down in parliament. With a slim parliamentary majority, Mrs May will have to get support from Labour voters, but a senior Tory warned doing so would be “dangerous territory”.

Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC: “If the Government plans to get the Chequers deal through on the back of Labour Party votes that would be the most divisive thing you could do. This is talking about 50 to 100 votes. It would be a split coming from the top.

“It is very, very dangerous territory for prime ministers to rely on opposition votes. They find they are fairweather friends — they are not there every day of the week. What prime ministers need is a loyal party that backs them day in, day out.”

Mr Trump is expected to pressure NATO allies to increase their contributions to the NATO budget, while easing US moneys during the meetings today and tomorrow.

Australia’s defence minister Marise Payne will attend the summit in a sideline meeting involving NATO partners.