YORK O MONDAY NIGHT. NOW, HERE'S RACHEL.
>>> HAPPY FRIDAY. TONIGHT IS ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS
WHEN MOST OF THE WORLD'S ATTENTION HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ONE CITY, IN HAMBURG GERMANY WHERE THE G 20
IS HAPPENING AND WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP SAT DOWN WITH VLADIMIR
PUTIN SINCE THE FIRST TIME. IN THE PAST FEW YEAR THE UNITED
STATES AND THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS BEEN TRYING TO -- ALSO FOR
WHAT IT DID TO OUR OWN ELECTIONS.
BUT TODAY THE RUSSIAN TIME-OUT APPARENTLY ENDED WITH A FULL
BILATERAL MEETING BETWEEN THE SERVING U.S. PRESIDENT AND
PRESIDENT PUTIN. TONIGHT I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY,
EXCITED TO SAY, ACTUALLY, THAT WE'VE GOT THE PERFECT PERSON TO
TAKE US INSIDE THAT MEETING AND
EVEN BETTER, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK, TO HELP US UNDERSTAND
WHAT PUTIN HAS DONE TO HIS OUN COUNTRY AND WHAT HE'S TRYING TO
DO TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, INCLUDING TO US.
NBC'S CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, MY FRIEND RICHARD
ENGEL HAS SPENT HIS DREER FROM REPORTING ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
HE HAS BEEN SPENDING A TON OF TIME IN RUSSIA.
I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS REPORT.
HERE NOW IS "ON ASSIGNMENT WITH RICHARD ENGEL."
TONIGHT RICHARD REPORTING LIVE FROM THE G20.
♪♪ >>> GOOD EVENING FROM HAMBURG
GERMANY. IT'S BEEN A BIG DAY HERE AND BY
ALL INDICATIONS PRESIDENTS TRUMP AND PUTIN HIT IT OFF WHEN THEY
MET. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THEY ROLLED
UP THEIR SLEEVES AND STARTED MAKING DEALS.
A CEASE FIRE FOR PART OF SYRIA, WITH AN ENVOY FOR UKRAINE, A
PLEDGE OF POLITICAL NONINTERVENTION.
THEY EVEN AGREED, ACCORDING TO ONE U.S. OFFICIAL WHO WAS THERE,
THAT THIS WHOLE BUSINESS OF RUSSIAN'S MEDDLING IN THE U.S.
ELECTION IS GETTING IN THE WAY AND THE TWO LEADERS SHOULD AGREE
TO DISAGREE AND MOVE ON. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS
EVERYTHING PUTIN COULD HAVE ASKED FOR AND MORE.
TODAY'S MEETING CHANGED THE WORLD.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF ANY OF THESE AGREEMENTS HOLD.
THE SYRIAN CEASE-FIRE PROBABLY WON'T IF PAST EXPERIENCE IS
ANYTHING TO GO BY. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE UKRAINE
ENVOY ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHES ANYTHING.
THIS MEETI MEETING MATTERS BECA PUTIN HAS WANTED TO MAKE RUSSIA
A SUPER POW AGAIN, A COUNTRY THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED IN THE
KEY DECISIONS SHAPING THE WORLD AND TODAY PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE
THAT TO HIM. PUTIN TRAINED TO CORRUPT AND
BULLY HIS TARGETS INTO DOING HIS BUDDING AND TODAY MANY AROUND
THE WORLD SAW PUTIN DOING JUST THAT TO AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT.
PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW PUTIN OPERATES DON'T THINK FOR A
SECOND THIS MEETING DIDN'T GO EXACTLY AS HE PLANNED IT.
THAT HE ALWAYS WANTED IT TO GO LONG, THAT HE WANTED TO BAIT
PRESIDENT TRUMP INTO TRADING HORSES.
BUT THERE ARE COST TO PLAYING LET'S MAKE A DEAL WITH VLADIMIR
PUTIN. WE SPENT MONTHS LOOKING AT WHAT
PUTIN'S RUSSIA IS LIKE TODAY, A PLACE WHERE BUSINESS DEALS CAN
GET YOU KILLED AND WHERE SPEAKING OUT ALSO CAN LAND YOU
DEAD. WE'VE MET ANALYSTS AND ACTIVISTS
WHO SAY PUTIN IS PLAYING TRUMP. FIRST THERE ARE STILL PROTESTS
UNDER WAY IN THIS CITY AND FIRES BURNING TONIGHT AS DEMONSTRATORS
CLASH WITH POLICE. WE SPENT MOST OF OUR DAY HERE IN
HAMBURG ON THE STREETS COVERING THE PROTESTS AND CLASHES THAT
SHUT DOWN THE CENTER OF THE CITY.
THEY WERE BIG. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
FROM ALL ACROSS EUROPE UNITED BY A SHARED DESIRE TO SCREAM THEIR
FRUSTRATION AT ALL THAT'S WRONG IN THE WORLD FROM ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION TO WAR, GREED AND POVERTY AND TO DO IT WITHIN
EARSHOT OF THE WORLD LEADERS THEY HOLD RESPONSIBLE.
THE OTHER THING THEY HAD IN COMMON -- WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP? >> WELL, FIRST, PERSONALLY, WE
IN GERMANY, WE JUSTUST LIKE WE E HIM.
I PERSONALLY, I THINK HE'S SEXIST, HE'S RACIST.
HE MOCKS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
>> MOST OF THE PROTESTERS WERE PEACEFUL.
BUT OTHERS SELF STALLED ANARCHISTS USUALLY DRESSED IN
BLACK WERE LOOKING FOR A FIGHT AND THEY GOT IT.
POLICE ARE NOW SWEEPING THROUGH THIS ENTIRE AREA.
THEY'VE BEEN SPRAYING THEIR WATER CANNON, SOME PEPPER SPRAY
AND JUST PUSHING PEOPLE OUT OF THE WAY.
THE POLICE CAME IN HEAVY. THE PROTESTERS NEVER MANAGED TO
BREAK THROUGH A TIGHT CORDON AROUND THE MASSIVE CONFERENCE
CENTER WHERE THE TRUMP-PUTIN MEETING TOOK PLACE AND WHILE WE
REPORTERS WERE ALLOWED THROUGH THE POLICE LINES, WITH WE WERE
CORRALLED INTO A MEDIA CENTER WHERE WE INTERVIEWED EACH OTHER
ABOUT THE MEETING HAPPENING IN A ROOM IN ANOTHER BUILDING.
>> WHAT JUMPED OUT TO ME IS VLADIMIR PUTIN GOT THE RESPECT
HE SO DESPERATELY DESIRES. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY
DECADES WE'RE SAYING YOU CAN RUN YOUR SOCIETY ANY WAY YOU LIKE.
WE DON'T CARE. YOU WANT TO BEAT UP ON YOUR
DISSIDENTS. FINE.
WANT TO CRUSH DEMOCRACY. FINE.
WHAT DO YOU WANT AND WHAT DO WE WANT.
LET'S DRAW UP RULES. >> AND IF THE IDEA OF TRUMP AND
PUTIN SITTING DOWN DRAWING UP THE RULES OF THE WORLD SOUNDS
FRIGHTENING, PERHAPS IT IS. IT SOUNDS LIKE PUTIN GOT A LOT
OF WHAT HE WANTED OUT OF THIS MEETING.
>> IT FEELS LIKE HE GOT A LOT OF WHAT HE WANTED OUT OF THIS
MEETING. APPARENTLY ACCORDING TO
TILLERSON, THE TWO GUYS HIT IT OFF, HAD A LOT TO TALK ABOUT AND
THEY COULD HAVE KEPT TALKING EXCEPT THEY HAVE A CONCERT TO
GET TO. NOW HE SAID THERE WERE NO MORE
MEETINGS SCHEDULED BUT I THINK IT'S THE BEGINNING OF WHAT PUTIN
HOPES TO BE A BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP.
>> DONALD TRUMP IS NOT THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO TRY TO BUILD NEW
RELATIONS WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN. HERE'S WHAT OUR LAST TWO
PRESIDENTS SAID AFTER THEY MET PUTIN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> I LOOKED THE MAN IN THE EYE, I FOUND HIM TO BE VERY
STRAIGHTFORWARD AND TRTRUSTWORT. WE HAD A VERY GOOD DIALOGUE.
I WAS ABLE TO GET A SENSE OF HIS SOUL.
>> I FOUND HIM TO BE VERY SMART AND I FOUND HIM TO HAVE A
PRACTICAL BENT. >> BUT IT'S PRETTY CLEAR FROM
THE BODY LANGUAGE AT HIS LAST MEETING WITH PUTIN THAT OBAMA
DIDN'T MANAGE TO BUILD A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAN HE
CALLED VERY SMART. AMERICAN PRESIDENTS COME AND GO
BUT PUTIN HAS OUTLASTED THEM ALL.
HE'S PERFECTED THE ART OF CONTROLLING EVERY DETAIL TO
ACHIEVE HIS OWN GOALS. ALL YOU REALLY SEE WHEN YOU LOOK
PUTIN IN THE EYE IS EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO SEE.
SO FAR HE'S BEEN WINNING EVERY ROUND IN THE LONG GAME HE'S
PLAYING AGAINST THE U.S. BUT WHAT IS THAT GAME.
FOREIGN POLICY ANALYSTS LIKE TO SAY THAT TRUMP IS PLAYING
CHECKERS WHILE PUTIN IS PLAYING CHESS.
BUT THAT ACCORDING TO THE WORLD'S FAMOUS CHESS MASTER IS
AN INSULT TO THE GAME. >> PUTIN IS A DICTATOR AND
DICTATORS BY DEFINITION DON'T PLAY CHESS, THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE
I HAVE TO DEFEND THE INTEGRITY OF MY GAME.
HE'S PLAYING A POKER GAME. >> HE'S A POKER PLAYER.
>> A CARD PLAYER, A GAMBLER AND HE KNOWS HIS CARDS ARE NOT GOOD
BUT HE ALSO AS A KGB GUY, HE'S A GOOD MIND READER.
>> IS PRESIDENT TRUMP PLAYING WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN OR BEING
PLAYED BY VLADIMIR PUTIN? >> HE IS PLAYING INTO PUTIN'S
HANDS. WHETHER HE PUSHES A PAWN OR
PLAYING A CARD. >> HE'S ALSO A VOCAL CRITIC OF
PUTIN'S REGIME, AFTER YEARS OF PROTESTS, A FAILED RUN FOR
PRESIDENT AND MULTIPLE THREATS ON HIS LIFE HE LEFT RUSSIA AND
WENT INTO EXILE. WE MET HIM IN PARIS WHERE HE
TOLD US THAT ANY MEETING BETWEEN PRESIDENTS TRUMP AND PUTIN IS A
VICTORY FOR PUTIN. >> IN TRUMP BELIEVES IN
HANDSHAKE, PUTIN BELIEVES A HANDSHAKE IS WAY TO FOOL HIS
COUNTER PART. >> DO YOU THINK PUTIN TRIED TO
GET TRUMP ELECTED? >> ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE EVIDENCE HE WANTED TRUMP TO WIN.
>> WHY WOULD HE WANT TRUMP TO WIN?
>> MANY MANY MANY REASONS. THE SIMPLE ONE IS TRUMP
PSYCHOLOGICALLY, WITH HIS MASSIVE EGO, REJECTION OF THE
RULES WOULD BE THE IDEAL COUNTER PART.
PUTIN BELIEFS HE'S CALLING THE SHOTS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WE KNOW IT'S FROM HISTORY THAT THE POWER CORRUPTS AND ABSOLUTE
POWER CORRUPTS. >> YOU BELIEVE HE'S ABSOLUTELY
CORRUPTED? >> IT'S THE GREATEST DANGER
BEING FACED BY THE FREE WORLD BECAUSE THE MAN HAS INTENTIONS.
>> DO YOU THINK PUTIN IS THE GREATEST DANGER -- YOU DON'T
THINK THAT'S AN EXAGGERATION? >> ANY OTHER IMMEDIATE THREAT
THAT THE FREE WORLD IS FACING LIKE ISIS OR TERRORIST GROUPS,
IT'S INCOMPATIBLE TO WHAT PUTIN CAN DO.
>> DO YOU THINK HE'S AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT?
>> MILITARILY AND ECONOMICALLY. BUT PUTIN HAS A LOT OF MONEY.
HE KNOWS THAT PLAYING THIS GAME BY UNDER MINING DEMOCRACIES AN
ENS TUGSS. BY CREATING CHAOS.
>> AND PUTIN SEEMS TO HAVE A UNIQUE SKILL WHEN IT COMES TO
CREATING CHAOS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
HE USED STEALTH AND MISDIRECT TO CARVE UP EASTERN UKRAINE AND
ANNEX CRIMEA. AND HE SENT JETS AND GUN TO
SYRIA TO STOP WHAT HE FEARED WAS GOING TO BE A U.S.-BACKED REGIME
CHANGE. >> LET'S REMEMBER WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN SYRIA. OBAMA SAID ASSAD MOUS GO.
PUTIN SAID NO, ASSAD MUST STAY. PUTIN WON THIS BATTLE.
WE CAN STOP COUNTING MANY REASONS WHY IT'S HAPPENED.
BUT PSYCHOLOGICAL PUTIN HAS AN ADVANTAGE.
AMERICANS WANTED THE GUY OUT. HE'S A BAD GUY.
WHO CARES. AT THE END OF THE DAY HE WORKS
FOR ME. AS LONG AS YOU'RE WITH ME, YOU
WILL PROTECT ME. >> SO THE MORE HE CAN SHOW HE'S
PLAYING IN OTHER PEOPLE'S BACK YARDS AND GETTING AWAY WITH IT,
PEOPLE SAY -- >> IT'S THE --
>> -- WE'RE BACK. >> THE FIRST OH, HOW DARE YOU TO
ACCUSE ME, I'M A MAN OF PEACE. NO RUSSIAN TROOPS IN CRIMEA.
THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE BRAVE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT.
>> LOOK HOW CLEVER WE WERE, WE GOT AWAY WITH IT.
>> ONE YEAR LATER, FULL RECOGNITION, BRAGGING ABOUT IT
AND PINNING MEDAL TO RUSSIAN TROOPS PART OF THE EVASION.
AND WE'RE LIKE, SO WHAT. >> THERE'S AMPLE EVIDENCE THAT
RUSSIA TRIED TO INTERFERE IN THE U.S. ELECTION PROCESS.
HOW WOULD THAT HELP HIM STAY IN POWER.
>> CHALLENGING THE WORLD, THE UNITED STATES.
HE CAN GO TO SYRIA, KICK AMERICANS FROM HERE TO THERE.
HE CAN CHALLENGE EUROPE. HE VIOLATES ALL OF THE RULES AND
HE'S STILL IN THE GAME. >> WE'LL HEAR MORE FROM GARY
LATER IN THE SHOW. A LOT HAS CHANGED IN RUSSIA
SINCE OF YET DAYS BUT MUCH HAS STAYED THE SAME.
THE MIGHT OF THE STATE NOW SERVES ONE MAN AND A CIRCLE OF
VERY POWERFUL AND WEALTHY PEOPLE AROUND HIM.
>> THE RUSSIAN MAFIA IS THE GOVERNMENT OF RUSSIA.
IT'S A MAFIA RUNNING A SOCHB STATE WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
>> WE'VE SPENT MONTHS INVESTIGATING A SINGLE CASE AND
MULTIPLE MURDERS IN RUSSIA AND AROUND THE WORLD.