Putin meet will be easiest stop on European tour: Trump
Washington, July 11 : US President Donald Trump has said the July 16 meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Helsinki could be the easiest stop on his European tour, during which he will also meet America's historic allies.
"So I have NATO, I have the UK, which is in somewhat turmoil, and I have Putin. Frankly, Putin may be the easiest of them all. Who would think? Who would think?" Trump said on Tuesday just before boarding the presidential aircraft Air Force One for his flight to Brussels, Efe news reported.
Trump arrives on Tuesday night in Brussels to take part in a two-day NATO summit before heading to the UK, and will wrap up his trip on July 16 when he meets with the Russian President in Helsinki.
Asked whether Putin is a friend or enemy, Trump replied the Russian President is "a competitor".
The meeting in Helsinki will be the first bilateral summit of the leaders of the two great powers, and will take place amid tensions between Moscow and Washington.
"I think that getting along with Russia, getting along with China, getting along with others is a good thing, not a bad thing," Trump added before leaving for Europe.
On his trip, Trump must strike a balance between promoting a thaw with Russia and not undermining relations with America's NATO allies, in an atmosphere of US-EU tension over trade.
He will also visit the UK at a time when the government of Prime Minister Theresa May faces another political crisis following the resignation of two of her principal ministers, both critics of her Brexit plan to negotiate a smooth withdrawal from the European Union.
In that regard, Trump spoke about one of the ministers who resigned, and who until this Monday was the UK's Foreign Minister, Boris Johnson, whom he called "a friend".
"Boris Johnson is a friend of mine. He's been very, very nice to me and very supportive. And maybe we'll speak to him when I get over there," he said.
"It's going to be an interesting time in the UK, and it's certainly going to be an interesting time with NATO. But we will work it out, and all countries will be happy," Trump said.
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Mangaluru man duped of Rs 10.55 lakh in Instagram ‘digital gold’ investment scam
Mangaluru: A 57-year-old man has allegedly been cheated of Rs 10.55 lakh by online fraudsters who lured him into investing in a so-called digital gold trading platform through Instagram, Deccan Herald reported on Tuesday.
According to the complaint, the victim was browsing Instagram at his residence on November 12, 2025, when he received a message from an account named “Suhani Patel.” The accused initiated a friendly conversation and later persuaded him to invest in the “digital gold market,” promising high returns.
The accused subsequently shared a mobile number and sent a link via WhatsApp, asking the complainant to install an application called “Kanak Daam Exchange.” Following the instructions, the victim downloaded the app and registered.
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The accused told the complainant that all transactions would be handled through the app’s customer service. Following their instructions, the complainant contacted the customer service through the app and sent a message requesting US dollars in exchange for Indian rupees. He was then directed to transfer money to specific bank accounts provided by the accused.
Trusting the claims, the complainant transferred Rs 1,50,000, Rs 3,45,000 and Rs 5,60,000 in multiple transactions, amounting to a total of Rs 10,55,000.
Subsequently, the app displayed that his total investment had grown to Rs 60 lakh. However, when he attempted to withdraw the amount due to personal financial needs, the request was denied. On contacting customer service, he was informed that he would have to pay 30 per cent of the total amount as “tax” before any withdrawal could be processed.
Growing suspicious, the complainant reportedly consulted officials at Canara Bank, who advised him that it was a fraud and warned him not to transfer any more money. When he confronted the accused, the amount displayed in the app was allegedly reduced to zero, and he was blocked from further communication.
Despite further attempts to contact “Suhani Patel,” the accused allegedly continued to assure him that the lost money would be returned, before eventually blocking him.
The complainant stated that he was cheated between November 12, 2025 and February 27, 2026, and has urged police to take action against the fraudsters.
A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.
