Coons’ lecture was tailored to the Chautauqua Institution’s fourth week theme of “Russia and the West,” and came the same day President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the top of his lecture he hoped he could offer insight into the current relationship between the west and Russia.

The U.S. Democratic senator form Delaware currently sits on the Appropriations, Judiciary, Foreign Relations, Business and Entrepreneurship and Ethics committees. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010.

Much of the democratic senator’s lecture highlighted bipartisan compromises and collaboration. Coons also said he agreed with some of Trump’s ideas and concepts, but when implemented into policy, he usually disagrees with how Trump handles it. These policies included confronting China mercantilism and its economy as well as urging more participation from U.S. allies in NATO.

During the lecture, Coons talked about the recent Justice Department indictments of 12 Russian agents for 2016 election meddling as a result of special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe on Friday.

P-J photo by Jordan W. Patterson

During the lecture, Trump was simultaneously meeting with Putin in Helsinki as part of a U.S.-Russia summit.

Coons said the meeting occurring at the same time held great consequence for U.S.-Russia relations as well as Europe-Russia relations.

“I am gravely concerned that President Trump fails to grasp the nature of Putin’s Russia and will fail to deliver the right message today,” he said during his speech Monday.

After the lecture and during the Q&A, Michael Hill, president of Chautauqua Institution, informed Coons what Trump told the world in the moments after meeting with Putin.

“They said they think it’s Russia,” Trump was quoted saying in a New York Times article regarding the indictments. “I have President Putin, he just said it’s not Russia.”

Coons believed the key to improving Russian relations and overall foreign policy is with bipartisan compromise and collaboration in the Senate. He said when Democrats and Republicans travel overseas together to solve a particular issue, the two opposing parties form strong bonds that even recently restored his confidence in political collaboration within the country.

“(The most recent trip) helped restore my faith in the possibility of bipartisan congressional action,” he said. “The Senate’s not entirely lost.”

On multiple occasions Coons received applause after finishing a point, and following his Q&A, Coons delivered a powerful ending that garnered a standing ovation.

One member of the audience, Joanne Webb, was delighted by Coons’ lecture.

“I think he’s outstanding as a speaker,” Webb told The Post-Journal. “It was outstanding. I hope he comes back.”

Prior to learning the outcome of the summit talks, Coons attempted to detail the current relationship the U.S. and its allies have with Russia, calling the nation a “persistent danger to our democracy.” Coons emphasized Russia’s long history and civilization deserved respect and closer attention.

“A better understanding of Russia will lead to better policy and potentially a more constructive relationship with Russia,” he said.

While having hope to change the current status of the west and Russian relations, Coons attributed the testy relationship to one specific aspect: Putin. Coons cited the Putin directed Russian invasions of Georgia, Crimea and Eastern Ukraine as causes for concern. He also called out the current Russian support for the Syrian regime that the United States opposes.

Prompted by an audience question inquiring how the Democratic Party can maintain high ideals and moral standards in the current political climate. Coons’ initial response was simple and challenged politicians, Americans and those in attendance to simply understand their selves.

“Know your history,” he said. “Know what others have sacrificed so that we might be here. Our grand monuments are not just dead stone.”

He gave remembrance to the soldiers who died during World War II in Europe and Asia, as well as the many other conflicts U.S. troops have given their lives. Coons’ point: it wasn’t for nothing.

“This isn’t a nation that stood up and extinguished slavery in a horrible and destructive civil war for nothing,” he said. “This isn’t a nation that stood up and fought fascism in Europe and imperialism in the Pacific for nothing. This isn’t a nation that welcomed immigrants from around the world and built the most prosperous, open and just society the world has so far seen for nothing.

“Know your history. Know who we are,” he repeated as the remaining audience began to stand and applaud.