Former Republican congressman and non-interventionist advocate Ron Paul praised President Trump’s summit in Helsinki, Finland with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he believes the president “won.”
In comments after Trump and Putin wrapped up a press conference together, Paul said he was “delighted” to see the two power players speaking while noting that the interventionist wings of the Democratic and Republican parties — commonly referred to as “neoconservatives” — are outraged by the meeting.
Paul said:
I would say that this was significant diplomacy. It has to be that the neocons aren’t very happy because Trump sounded pretty reasonable. And I think Trump won on this. And I don’t think Putin was seen in a bad light. [Emphasis added]
Just talking to people face to face I think is so significant and I thought it was very worthwhile. The problems are still out there. [Emphasis added]
That’s the whole thing about the effort put in in this country for the anti-Russian mood, you know, is so strong. That’s a mixed deal because like I say, so many things are bipartisan. Hatred towards Russia is bipartisan and that to me is sad because you hear it constantly…. [Emphasis added]
I was delighted to see them go through, have the press conference … I think the world didn’t suffer from the summit and hopefully it can be a beginning rather than an end. [Emphasis added]
