An expert has said the US President veered from his usual plan of action to deliver a ‘condescending’ early blow to Vladimir Putin, despite a seemingly warm greeting in Alaska
Donald Trump made a “condescending gesture” towards Vladimir Putin after the two world leaders met for their crunch summit this evening, an expert has said.
Mr Trump, 79, and Russian despot Putin, 72, greeted one another warmly just metres from their respective aircraft today in Anchorage, Alaska, in a red carpet embrace ahead of key talks. They smiled at one another before Putin was ushered into “The Beast”, Mr Trump’s Presidential limousine, the inside of which non-US officials are not typically allowed to see, with US jets flying overhead in celebration.
While the meeting appeared to begin with an all-too warm reception for the Russian premier, who has presided over a brutal invasion of Ukraine and killed tens of thousands, a body language expert has said Mr Trump was “condescending” towards Putin.
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Body language analyst Darren Stanton told the Mirror Mr Trump appeared to shy away from his usual “bone-crusher handshake”, replacing it with a “hand tap”. Mr Stanton said the move was a “condescending gesture” despite what appeared to be an otherwise warm greeting.
He said: “When they shook hands as they initially met, although Trump didn’t do his trademark bone-crusher handshake – where he pulls the other politician towards him – he did tap his hand, and that was also a power gesture.”
Mr Stanton added that Mr Trump has rolled out the gentler handshake in the past, “some years ago” notably during a meeting with assassinated Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
He added it was “kind of a condescending gesture”, explaining it is “as if to say, good boy”. The expert added that the gesture gave Mr Trump the upper hand immediately out of the gate of negotations. Explaining the meet in football terms, he said the US President seemed “the stronger personality”.
“So principally, both men have got mutual respect and are genuinely happy to be engaging in these talks.” Russian news outlets appear to have been happiest about Mr Putin’s warm reception, with one anchor from state-aligned RIA Novosti saying Mr Trump appeared “extremely friendly towards Putin”.
It was also quick to point out what it called a “historic handshake” between the two leaders, and the outlet is reporting that the Trump administration has already offered Russia concessions.
It ran comment from foreign minister Sergei Lavrov this evening, with the official telling an interviewer that some sanctions placed on the country would “definitely be lifted”. He said: “They will definitely be lifted for some, that’s for sure.”