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MOSCOW (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser is heading to Moscow to pave the way for a possible U.S.-Russian summit, a spokesman said Thursday.
National Security Adviser John Bolton plans to travel to Moscow next week to discuss a potential meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bolton spokesman Garrett Marquis tweeted Thursday. Bolton also intends to discuss national security in London and Rome during the June 27-27 trip.
Asked to comment on media reports that a Trump-Putin summit might take place next month, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We have nothing to say yet, and if and when we are ready, we will make the relevant statement."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that Moscow is "ready for contacts" with Washington, and also said any agreement "on a high-level meeting" would be announced.
Trump and Putin discussed a face-to-face meeting in March, when Trump called the Russian leader to congratulate him on his re-election. Both the White House and Kremlin revealed that Trump invited Putin to the White House.
The U.S. president recently said he could possibly meet Putin this summer, noting that "it's much better if we get along with" Russia "than if we don't."
Putin, in turn, said he was ready for a summit with Trump whenever the U.S. administration was set for it. He cited Austria as a nation that had offered to host the meeting.
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