As the 2018 World Cup reached its climax Sunday, no one could draw more satisfaction from the tournament than Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The mega sporting event, which Putin personally lobbied to secure for Russia, has allowed the Kremlin to burnish the country’s image abroad, say analysts and even Putin’s domestic critics.
Voice of America: Syria, arms control likely to figure prominently at Helsinki summit
A protester wears a mask bearing a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin as protesters gather on the Senate Square at the end of the so-called "Helsinki Calling" march to defend the human rights, freedom of speech and democracy on July 15, ahead of the arrival of US President for a summit with his Russian counterpart in the Finnish capital Helsinki.
