克里姆林宫赞扬唐纳德·特朗普总统主动提出帮助俄罗斯西伯利亚地区抗击野火，弗拉基米尔·普京总统表示，这是美俄关系可能很快恢复的信号。
特朗普主动提出协助对抗大火据国家新闻机构报道，目前影响了西伯利亚多个地区约700万英亩的土地，面积大约相当于丹麦或荷兰Tass报道。
塔斯社称，目前有2700多名救援人员正在抗击西伯利亚野火。大约390辆地面车辆和28架飞机也被带来处理火灾，这促使政府宣布四个地区进入紧急状态。
普京感谢美国总统的提议，但解释说已经组建了一个灭火飞机队来应对野火。尽管如此，普京表示特朗普的提议是一个积极的信号，暗示“在未来，两国将有可能恢复全面关系。”
白宫后来证实两位领导人通过电话交谈，彭博资讯报道。白宫表示，特朗普和普京还讨论了贸易问题，而克里姆林宫报告称，双方同意通过电话和亲自继续讨论。
塔斯社指出，克里姆林宫还表示，普京感谢特朗普“如此专注的态度、提供的帮助和支持”。俄罗斯紧急情况部此前解释称，该部在消防飞机方面遇到了一些后勤困难，但“飞机和直升机的加油和驻扎问题正在得到解决。”
但是许多俄罗斯人对政府对绿色和平组织描述的“生态灾难”反应缓慢感到愤怒超过700，000人签署了一份请愿书，呼吁对野火采取更强硬的应对措施英国广播公司报道。
尽管美国对俄罗斯实施了一系列制裁——针对俄罗斯吞并克里米亚、干涉2016年总统选举以及企图谋杀一名现居英国的前俄罗斯间谍的行为——特朗普一直寻求与普京建立密切关系。
总统显然更同情俄罗斯的野火，而不是美国的野火。去年，特朗普因对肆虐加利福尼亚部分地区的大规模野火的反应而受到批评。总统声称火灾是由于森林管理不善而引起和加剧的伸出手指该州的民主党领导人。
特朗普甚至威胁要扣留指定用于森林维护的联邦资金，尽管大火仍在肆虐，导致数十人死亡。彭博指出，尽管总统后来批准了快速救灾援助，但他仍然提议将国家森林体系的资金削减19%。
VLADIMIR PUTIN PRAISES TRUMP, SAYS OFFER OF WILDFIRE HELP COULD HERALD RESTORATION OF 'FULL-FORMAT RELATIONS' BETWEEN RUSSIA AND U.S.
The Kremlin has praised President Donald Trump for his offer of help in battling wildfires in Russia's Siberian region, which President Vladimir Putin said is a signal that U.S.-Russian relations could soon be restored.
Trump offered assistance in fighting the massive fires, which are currently affecting some 7 million acres—an area roughly the size of Denmark or the Netherlands`–in multiple Siberian regions, state news agency Tass reported.
More than 2,700 responders are currently fighting the Siberian wildfires, according to Tass. Some 390 ground vehicles and 28 aircraft have also been brought in to tackle the blazes, which have prompted the government to declare a state of emergency in four regions.
Putin thanked his American counterpart for the offer, but explained that a fleet of firefighting aircraft had already been formed to address the wildfires. Nonetheless, Putin said Trump's offer was a positive signal, and one that suggested "in the future, it will be possible to restore full-format relations between the two countries."
The White House later confirmed that the two leaders had spoken by phone, Bloomberg reported. Trump and Putin also discussed trade issues, the White House said, while the Kremlin reported that the pair agreed to continue discussions both by phone and in person.
The Kremlin also said Putin thanked Trump "for such attentive attitude, for offering help and support," Tass noted. The Russian Emergencies Ministry had previously explained it was experiencing some logistical difficulties related to the firefighting aircraft, but that "issues of refueling and stationing aircraft and helicopters are being resolved."
But many Russians are angry at the government's perceived slow response to what Greenpeace has described as an "ecological catastrophe." More than 700,000 people have signed a petition calling for a tougher response to the wildfires, the BBC reported.
Despite a range of U.S. sanctions against Russia—put in place in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea, meddling in the 2016 presidential election and attempted murder of a former Russian spy now living in the U.K.—Trump has sought to build a close relationship with Putin.
The president is apparently more sympathetic to Russian wildfires than to those in the U.S. Last year, Trump was criticized for his response to huge wildfires ravaging parts of California. The president claimed that the fires were caused and exacerbated by inadequate forest management and pointed the finger at the state's Democratic leaders.
Trump even threatened to withhold federal funds earmarked for forest maintenance, even as the fires continued to rage and killed dozens of people. Though the president later approved fast-tracked disaster aid, he still proposed slashing funding for the national forest system by 19 percent, Bloomberg noted.
