Vladimir Putin has invited President Trump to Moscow, and the White House says Trump is open to going, once he receives a formal invitation.
“Regarding our meetings, I understand very well what President Trump said. He has a desire to have further meetings,” Putin told reporters in South Africa, where he was attending a summit of BRICS nations: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
“I am ready for that,” Putin said. “We need for the appropriate conditions to exist, to be created, including in our countries.”
Following the backlash in the United States over Trump’s cordial public tone with Putin at the Helsinki summit, U.S. and Russian officials backed away from Trump’s proposal to schedule a follow-up meeting in Washington in the fall.
Two days after postponing that invitation, the White House made clear on Friday that Trump remained enthusiastic about another Russia summit.
“President Trump looks forward to having President Putin to Washington after the first of the year, and he is open to visiting Moscow upon receiving a formal invitation,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
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Referring to the proposal for a meeting in the United States, Putin said: “I am ready to go to Washington. I repeat once again, if the right conditions for work are created.”
After the White House announced Trump invited Putin to DC this fall, the Kremlin hesitated. A week later, it said the two men had other opportunities to meet. The next day, National Security Advisor John Bolton issued a statement, announcing the next summit would be delayed until the next year.
Then came the news Michael Cohen was willing to tell prosecutors Donald Trump knew about the June 9, 2016 Trump Tower meeting in advance.
Now Putin says he is ready for a second summit and would like Trump to come to Moscow.
CNN:
"We are ready for such meetings, we are ready to invite President Trump to Moscow. He has this invitation already and I told him about it," said Putin, speaking at the BRICs summit in Johannesburg.
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The Russian President on Friday also praised Trump, saying the US President's "great virtue is that he always wants to keep his promises to his voters."
"You can critique him for what he does and many people do that but one thing is clear -- he is willing to fulfill his campaign promises," Putin said, adding that he viewed their meeting earlier this month in Helsinki, Finland, as "useful."
Trump open to visiting Moscow after Putin invite: White House (Reuters)
Putin: 'Ready' to go to Washington, invites Trump to Moscow (CNN)