RUSSIA/SUMMIT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump once mocked his predecessor as he confronted Russia’s 2014 aggression in Ukraine, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was ‘having a great time toying with the President.’ More than four years after he made that pronouncement about then-President Barack Obama to Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump faces a similar dilemma as he prepares for a possible face-to-face meeting with Putin just days after Moscow dramatically escalated tensions with Ukraine and could push them farther still. Trump waited more than 24 hours after Russian ships fired on and then seized three Ukrainian vessels on Sunday [11-25-18] before he commented on the clash. In response to reporters’ questions, the President said he was ‘not happy about it at all,’ then indicated he might see fault on both sides, saying, ‘we do not like what’s happening either way.'”
–Nicole Gaouette, “Trump gears up for possible Putin meeting as Ukraine tensions rise,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, November 27, 2018 1:03 am