The NATO summit will be held on May 24-25, while the G7 summit is slated for May 26-27.
"Donald Trump will try to turn his European trip if not into a triumph, then at least into a victory. He will clearly refrain from openly urging other EU nations to follow Britain's example and instead will try to calm European leaders wary of his pre-election rhetoric," the analyst noted. "Yet Trump will not abandon his anti-EU views … and Europe will hardly be able to challenge him since the European Union is in a deep and fundamental crisis."
Akopov maintained that Trump's key foreign policy objective entails strengthening the US as a nation state, which among other things will require the new administration to limit its engagement in "meaningless and harmful" military operations. This is what he will focus on by "building personal relationships with key global stakeholders, those who have what he wants to achieve – independence."
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is said to be planning to come to Moscow in April. The Kremlin has not confirmed that the visit will take place, but if does, then Putin and Trump will be "one step away from a face-to-face meeting," as Akopov put it.
"It seems increasingly likely that [a meeting with Putin] could take place during Trump's first visit to Europe in late May," the analyst said. "It makes sense. It is also more convenient than waiting for Trump's next visit to Europe scheduled to take place in early July. He will attend the G20 summit in Hamburg and will meet Putin there anyway."
The agenda of the first meeting is expected to cover key international topics and bilateral issues of mutual concern, including Daesh, the Syrian crisis and the Middle East, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Libya, North Korea, Iran, international trade, the New START and nuclear weapons.
"It is not the agenda that will be significant, but rather the face-to-face meeting and first impressions that both leaders will have," the analyst added.
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