Aside from an official phone call between newly-inaugurated Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the former trashed his predecessor’s nuke treaty as a “bad deal” without understanding it, the pair hasn’t met in person. Yet with an ever-increasing timeline of their respective entourage’s possible collusion, such an official meeting was bound to take place. And sure enough, Trump and Putin will stand face-to-face for the first time when they attend next week’s G-20 summit in Germany.
According to the Associated Press, which first broke the news on Twitter, the White House confirmed Trump and Putin’s in-person meeting but didn’t offer any details as to what the pair might discuss. Describing it as a “high-stakes” meeting, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster explained it would be one of several important one-on-one meetings Trump would engage in with other members of the so-called “Group of Twenty.” McMaster and economic advisor Gary Cohn specifically refused to say whether or not Trump would address Russia’s alleged hacking of, and tampering with, the 2016 presidential election.
“Our relationship with Russia really isn’t different,” added McMaster, who did note that Trump would discuss “irritants” with Putin when the pair finally meets next week in Germany. As for what these irritants might be, however, the National Security Advisor refused to elucidate the matter when asked for clarification by the press.
(Via Associated Press)