Will Trump be trumped? Sure does seem like it!
https://inosmi.ru/politic/20180915/243242182.html
What will Russia's Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia's Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud be talking about during Putin's upcoming Saudi visit?
I suspect, besides the obvious oil discussions, Putin will also be informing the Saudi king that China will play a crucial role in the future, that the Saudis will be much to the better getting on board with China's Belt Road Initiative rather than joining the US to thwart its success, especially in the Middle East. This aspect of the conversation is key given recent statements that Saudi Arabia would like to become less-reliant on an oil-based economy.
Likely, there will also be conversation related to the future prospects of the Chinese Petro-Yuan, which is backed by gold (with China and Russia ranked #'s one and three in gold), compared to the US Petro-Dollar, which is largely back by debt. Will Putin be able to convince the Saudi king that it would be prudent to stop supporting US sanctions policy?
Will Putin convince the Saudis to completely pull out of Syria by pointing out there is no victory at all for Saudi Arabia there? Could Putin's actions succeed in brokering a relaxation of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Russia's ally Iran, especially now that Iraq has elected a Parliament leader favorable to Iran over the US? Could this meeting help reduce the extent of the Saudi war with Yemen? Could Putin also broker better relations between the Saudis, Turkey and Qatar? How will they discuss Israel?
Regarding oil? What will happen to world oil prices once the US sanctions against Iran kick in and Iran's oil becomes limited on the market? The US has been relying on Saudi Arabia to keep up or increase its oil production, however, recently the Saudis cut oil production. What effects will the Russian president and Saudi King's conversations have on this scenario. Could the US sanctions policy backfire?
So much to talk about.
It's important to realize that Putin listens to a philosopher, Alexander Dugin; whereas Trump listens to a mercenary soldier CEO, Eric Prince. Will Putin be able to convince the Saudi royalty that in the future they would be better protected, both philosophically and militarily, with Russia's private mercenary soldiers, the Wagner Group, than they would be from Prince's mercenary soldiers which holds the history of the Blackwater debacle in Iraq?
I think the leaders will also share growing pains about transforming human rights within their respective societies. Much like America once had difficulties -- and still does -- bridging issues related to gay rights, religious-academic freedoms and authoritarianism, so also has Russia. Yet, today, Saudi Arabia is way-way behind the times. Will human rights transformation become an issue for discussion?
The fact these two leaders are meeting is historical. Given the present reality, from the American point of view, it appears Trump likely will soon experience fifth-grade level angst! Signs of this already have been exhibited. Not only will Trump's view of the world economy quickly collapse, but his domestic (and legal) problems certainly will soon overwhelm him.
Perhaps this is what the Russian-Saudi Arabian conversation is really all about: A world stage look with Trump gone!