Other views: President Trump values direct, personal ties

James S. Robbins, USA TODAY:

“The president places great value in establishing these types of direct ties. But the conspiracy theorists would have us think Presidents Trump and Putin were locked in a room hatching schemes, which shows how childish and unserious the president’s critics have become.”

Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker:

“Here’s what we already do know as a result of the summit: America’s government is divided from its president on Russia; its process for orderly decision-making, or even basic communication, has disintegrated; and its ability to lead an alliance in Europe ... has been seriously called into question.”

Jackson Diehl, Washington Post:

“The big loser is likely to be Putin, who needs American help to escape the quagmires of Syria and Ukraine, not to mention the sanctions that are squeezing his inner circle. Notwithstanding his World Cup swagger, Putin is weaker than he has been in some time. With Russia’s economy stagnant, the government has been forced to raise pension eligibility ages, a hugely unpopular move that sent Putin’s approval ratings crashing below 50 percent. Despite Trump, NATO just adopted a tough new plan to counter Russian aggression. And, despite the successes of pro-Putin parties in recent elections, the European Union just agreed to extend its own economic sanctions on Russia for six more months.”