And i think it could have been other people and other countries. Could have been a lot of people interfered. I said it very simply. I think it could very well have been russia but i think it could well have been other countries and i wont be specific, but i think a lot of people interfere. I think its been happening for a long time. Its been happening for many, many years. The president s tone was tough other than the question how to respond to north koreas new intercontinental ballistic missile. Well see what happens. I dont like to talk about what i have planned, but i have some pretty severe things that were thinking about. That doesnt mean were going to do them. I dont draw red lines. With us to share reporting and insights, michael bender, molly ball, julie pace and oh listoh olivia knox. And a big showdown tomorrow with president putin. First a clash on display at the economic summit and what it means for transatlantic relations. Any moment a peek at the trump merkel meeting, a glimpse at that clash. Cnns Nic Robertson is on the ground. Why this meeting is so interesting. Reporter if you can hear the helicopter circling above, because a demonstration is going on, about 4,500 people, according to police here. They want to voice opposition to President Trumps visit and Angela Merkel has opposition, not to his visit but some of his views. Historically a difference on climate change, trade, on immigration. President trump was critical the way Angela Merkel allowed refugees, people from other syria and other countries into the country over the years and voicing similar concerns or a narrative today in warsaw saying, why we always will welcome people from other countries into ours, they cannot cross our borders unless they share our borders and love our people. Again, a point hell share with Angela Merkel where hes on a different page and Angela Merkel has taken to the newspapers criticizing what his crew of globalizati view of globalization. Rich get richer. Nic robertson, well keep in touch. President trump on his way to the merkel meeting. The president s fist g20 economic summit and second visit to europe viewing him with considerable skepticism. He may have eased concerns with this. A public rebuke of Vladimir Putins russia. The west is also confronted by the powers that seek to test our will, undermine our confidence and challenge our interests. To meet new forms of agrgressio including propaganda, financial crimes and cyber warfare, we urge russia to cease its destabilizing activities in ukraine and elsewhere and support for hostile regimes including syria and iran. But in the very next section of the speech, the president also publicly aired grievances with the European Union. The steady creep of government bureaucracy that drains the vitality and wealth of the people. The west became great not because of paperwork and regulations but because people were allowed to chase their dreams and pursue their destinies. This, to me, the meeting about to take place, its about to start. Just this fascinating. A new american president on the world stage, most of europe doesnt like what it sees. To the president s credit today a lot of his critics say connect the dots for me. Whats your strategy . The president laid out more clearly than weve heard in the past five months why he thinks the way he does about trade, allowing refugees into european countries, about mig migration and the like and going up against the european leader of which he so profoundly disagrees. A lot of echoes of the nato summit. We saw the president start to articulate a clearer vision, if not specifics of policy, at least of the way he sees the world and the International Vision that he plans to implement. The problem is, its a vision that european leaders dont like. They know what it is. Its just not the vision they would prefer and not the partnership with america theyve had in the past, not the partnership with america theyve come to expect. The merkel meeting previously, the nato summit, awkward interactions in a europe that clearly is not eager to make nice with this president in the way leaders of other parts of the world have, and theres a lot of tension there. You can see, just sorry for interrupting. Chancellor merkel arriving for her meeting with President Trump. Pictures on the right side of the screen, the president of the United States about to arrive. Top of how the meeting. They know they have differences, aired in separate settings each including today from President Trump. Interesting to see sidebyside, air differences ar play nice. You were about to say . Going to say that the speech, we can kind of see trumps Foreign Policy here being sort of assembled in realtime. The hands of a few different advisers in that speech leading up to it there was talk about russia. Had some tough talk at russia. There was also some lines about immigration. May have been aimed at merkel here. Weve seen his policy, some shifts in his policy on china this week, and, yes. As we watch merkel here, i mean, a lot of talk about trumps meeting with putin and this may be actually the most important one and xi. Compared to a lot of leaders weve seen trump meet with, she doesnt pull punches and not afraid to sit or stand sidebyside in a News Conference and make clear she doesnt agree with his world view and the statements shes made in germany ahead of her own elections coming up about the United States not being a reliable partner, its a catchy sound bite, but when you really think about that, when you think about the fact the strongest country in europe does not see the United States as a strong partner, were talking about a complete shift in the global dynamic when that happens and seen her reach out to china, importantly, to fill some of this void. A great point. Getting through this, overly wonky and economic, but if the United States pulls back, says well reconsider every one of our trade agreements and Angela Merkel said you cant look at u. S. germany trade, were a part of the European Union and thinks trump doesnt get it but chine chine china is stepping in, japan. And redefining the relationships, does the base suffer . America first is not america alone. Dynamics suggest as American Leadership pulls back, youre right. Other countries are filling the vacuum. The speech was interesting for me in a couple ways. Constant emphasis on individual nations and peoples. In poland, whose government is euro skeptic. Doesnt like the eu very much. No way merkel misses the symbolism of that. Also the notion of a clash of civilizations. The west is fighting air original as if it is a different civilization of itself. No way she misses any of thattoo canny a play other than the world stage, understand the symbolism and hes taking symbolic steps to undermine the german role in europe and the eu itself. If she doesnt she doesnt miss it. Right. Made it crystal clear. Even if she had, in poland, listen to the president talk about what he yew views at the h and the mistake merkel and others are making. The fundamental question of our time is whether the west has the will to survive. Do we have the confidence in our values to defend them at any cost . Do we have enough respect for our citizens to protect our borders . Do we have the desire and the courage to preserve our civilization in the face of those who would subvert and destroy it . I mean, written by a speechwriter, if you strip it down to basics, im right. Youre wrong. I imposed a travel ban to keep people from countries a threat to the United States out. You have open board is in europe, letting bepeopl terrori and youre wrong, im right . Is that what youre hearing . The part of the axics much more skeptical of globalism and multilateralism, how much there are other elements that feel quite differently and a lot of internal tension in that regard. This isnt just about trump selling his vision to the United States in contrast to whats happens in europe but taking sides between populism and internationalism we have seen in brexit, the french elections, merkels election coming up in the fall. Trump is taking sides on an internal european battle happening everywhere across the continent. Important to note while as a whole europe is skeptical of trump and doesnt agree with him in terms of leadership. The points hes making, there is an audience for that in europe. We havent seen, since his elections, those voices be particularly successful, doesnt mean it doesnt exist and he sees an opportunity to rally support for that. Why the leaders push back so hard. Its a threat to their survival. Brexit and more of that sentiment across europe. You mentioned german elections undergoing down. What to make of the president s answer when asked at the press conference about Russian Election meddling where he says, you know, russia may have been involved. Other countries could have been involved. Going into a big meeting with putin tomorrow. Angela merkel says messing in their election now. Also in france. The president s own National Security team will tell you, yes, russia, other central actors but at the center is Vladimir Putin but the president wont say that straight up. Why . A question he wont be able to escape after his meeting with putin, but i do think, my sense of what hes saying there is, almost a defense of, more of a defense of himself than trying to water down what russia did. He says it was russia. I think it was russia. Thats clear. The rest of it, to me, is him trying to back himself out of a corner for his hedging up to this point. Im sorry. Every conversation about this views it as an attack on his legitimacy and acceptance. Any talk of russian interference, talk more so, at all of possible collusion between people in his orbit and the russians, he views it all as an attack on his legitimacy and it burns them up in the white house when that happens. He likes to say im president , youre not. Why doesnt he say im president and look forward, not backwards, but this isnt going to happen again on my watch, period. Democrats saw that answer. Adam schiff, said this is not putting America First but continuing to pre ing ting to p fiction at the United States expense. Otherwise, the crekremlin will conclude he is too weak to stand up to them. They get the psychology behind it. We know trump is insecure about his victory. Everyone understand that, but hes in there right now and this is an actual National Security issue that will continue to affect american elections, european elections for years to come, if the u. S. In particular doesnt get in front of this. And republicans know that it could come their way in three and a half years. This is not a problem just for democrats now. They just cant understand why the president cant feel confident in his victory enough to take on a serious National Security issue like this. And forcefully address it with putin, taking away critics and hold the thought, come back to this next. Tough talk about aggression in ukraine. A meduddled response to the russian meddling in the election. Show you pictures from hamburg, germany moments ago. The president of the United States and chancellor of germany. Two pleaders with big differences. Small talk, greeting. Handshake in a moment before going into their conversations in hamburg behind closed doors. Couldnt hear what they were saying in the small talk. The two went into a Conference Room and we expect the u. S. And german media to be allowed in for part of that meeting and will bring tlau soon hat to you it happens. Differences over climate change, terrorism migration and more. Hopefully more in a minute. The president s schedule is packed at the g20. Most scrutinized, first metering with russian president putin on the schedule tomorrow. Chancellor merkel among those who want a tough like with putin and President Trump offered this hint today in poland. We urge russia to cease its destabilizing activities in ukraine and elsewhere and support for hostile regimes including syria and iran. And to, instead, join the community of responsible nations in our fight against common enemies and in defense of civilization itself. What to expect and how much does this first trump Putin Meeting matter . Insights from ambassador nicholas burns, nearly three decades of diplomatic work include stints as the under secretary of state and u. S. Ambassador to nato in the george w. Bush administration. Pleasure to have you on this important day. First to the question of election meddling. You testified before congress a couple weeks ago and said it would be a dereliction of duty for this president not to look Vladimir Putin in the eye and call him out. To say, i know what you cdid an must not do it again and consequences if you do it again. Listen to what came up. This was the president s answer. I think it was russia, but i think it was probably other people and or countries, and i see nothing wrong with that statement. Nobody really knows. Nobody really knows for sure. The west is also confronted by powers that seek to test our will, undermine our confidence and challenge our interests to meet new forms of aggression including propaganda, financial crimes and cyber warfare. So from the hints at the press conference and then the hints in the speech, what do you expect . Will the president do as you think he must . Or will he punt or muddle this . John, i think what you saw this morning was the tail of two President Trumps. You saw the scripted speech, where i think the president was right to accuse russia of destabilizing activities. Right. I assume meant ukraine. And saw the unscripted President Trump in the press conference. Putin might think this is the real trump. Went very easy and soft on this certainty of our Intelligence Community that russia launched a major cyber attack on the 2016 elections. And so i do think its very important for President Trump. I hope he can meet this expectation tomorrow that a lot of people have, that he raise the issue of russian meddling in the elections directly with president putin. That he say its object action and communicates privately there will be penalties for the russians. Sanctions, if this continues in 2018 and 2020. Thats what president obama did. Directly to president putin last autumn, and it really is the basic responsibility of our president to defend our country, particularly our elections. I think he has to meet that test tomorrow. President trump. Talk to Trump Supporters watching. Because president obama did it is fought good enough for them. They dont like president obama dont think he was a strong leader. Explain to a trump supporter its critical he not say in a meeting with putin, i know you did it, but everyone does it. Youve done it a long time. Why is it critical that this president of the United States be clear and blunt on this issue . I would say that the first duty of any president is to defend the United States. Whats more important to the United States than the sanctity and the efficiency of our elections . The fact that our elections will not be disturbed, perhaps even thwarted, by a foreign power . In this case, an adversary, russia. We dont want adversarial countries interfering with our elections, get into 21 states database, which they tried to do and somehow affect the elections from afar. Thats an American Issue first if you will. Americans dont want that, and why the president needs to stand up to putin on this issue. Lets get into the additional complexities. Just standing in poland today, and talking about poland being free, talking about helping poland with its energy supplies, talking about the poles getting patriot missiles is a message to russia, too. I want you to listen to a bit of the president s viewed as outlined in poland about the importance of the nato alines. Alliance. You see whats happening out there . They are threats. We will confront them. We will win. But they are threats. The United States has demonstrated not merely with words, but with its actions that we stand firmly behind article 5. The mutual defense commitment. I declare today for the world to hear that the west will never, ever be broken. Im sure that the kremlin and president putin wont like some of that. Your distinction, is that the real trump or that written by his National Security team . Yes, there were many positive statements in the president s speech this morning. He spoke to polish history. He spoke to the valor of the poles and in this respect, john, to the fact the west has to be united particularly against russia. That was a positive in the speech today. But as your Previous Panel indicated, there are troubling aspects of the speech. Echoes of the New York Times reported this of the inaugural speech. A clash of swivelizaticivilizate open west every american president stood for but more of a divisive sense, of keeping others i read into, muslims, out of europe. That plays into the politics of poland but it doesnt in hamburg, germany, where President Trump is with Angela Merkel, because she stands for the traditional American Values