Helsinki, Finland (CNN) Vladimir Putin has stood the test of time through four American presidents, but from Donald Trump he is looking for one thing in particular: to be elevated on the world stage, away from global isolation. The mere fact that the two leaders are convening here Monday in the Presidential Palace, against sweeping views of the Baltic Sea, gives Putin an early victory. Estranged by much of the world, a one-on-one meeting with Trump serves as something of a grand return for Putin.
