Russia Says Big Decisions Were Made During Trump-Putin Meeting, But U.S Officials Haven’t Heard About Them

During a Pentagon press conference Thursday, top U.S officials were forced to admit that did not know about decisions that were reportedly made during President Donald Trump’s recent talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“For us right now it’s kind of steady as she goes. We have received no further direction,” said Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command. “I’m not privy to any kind of grand bargain discussion or anything like that.”

The lack of communication comes in stark contrast to Russia’s centralized bureaucracy where Russian military spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov announced Tuesday, “The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is ready for practical implementation of the agreements reached… in the sphere of international security achieved at the Helsinki summit.”

On the U.S side, details of the meeting remain sparse and hard to come by, even for top U.S officials. “When we are able to provide more details, we will,” noted Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White.

In his White House statement Tuesday, Trump remained vague in his reports of the meeting. He merely told reporters the two had discussed a “range of issues,” touching on “the civil war in Syria,” Iran’s nuclear ambition, threats to Israel as well as North Korea and “the reduction of nuclear weapons throughout the world.”

The president however did not claim to have made any formal agreements with Putin.

In the wake of major criticism over Trump’s conciliatory behavior towards Putin during the summit, lawmakers have now begun to demand more clarity as to what really happened behind closed doors.

“Yesterday, President Trump handed global leadership and stature — free of charge — to Vladimir Putin, a man who has spent his entire life working against the interests of the United States and who brutally suppresses and murders his own citizens,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D – NH).

The two met one-on-one, with only translators present. Now, lawmakers are calling on Trump’s translator to testify before Congress.

“I believe the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should hold a hearing with the American interpreter who was present during President Trump and President Putin’s private meeting to determine what was specifically discussed and agreed to on the United States’ behalf,” said Shaheen.