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John Bolton to meet Vladimir Putin during Moscow visit John Bolton meets Vladimir Putin during Moscow visit
(about 1 hour later)
A senior aide to Donald Trump is in Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin has said, amid reports the two sides are preparing for a July summit between the two presidents. John Bolton, the US national security adviser, has met Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, as the White House confirmed it was seeking a summit between Donald Trump and the Russian president.
The US national security adviser, John Bolton, arrived in the Russian capital on Wednesday for a one-day visit that will also include meetings with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and the presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov. No date for the Trump meeting has been set, but reports suggested it could take place in mid-July.
“While in Moscow today, Ambassador Bolton is meeting with President Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials to discuss United States-Russia relations, as well the potential for a presidential meeting,” Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, tweeted on Wednesday.
It was the first official confirmation of the White House’s intention to hold direct talks with Putin, who last met Trump during a controversial G20 in July 2017.
Bolton, accompanied by the US ambassador to Moscow, Jon Huntsman, also met the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, the defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, and an adviser, Yuri Ushakov, whose portfolio includes US policy.
“I have to say with regret that Russian-American relations are not in the best shape,” Putin told Bolton, “and I’ve already said this repeatedly in public and am saying this to you now: I think that this is largely a result of the acute internal political struggle within the US itself.”
He added: “Your arrival in Moscow has given us hope that we can make the first steps to reviving full relations between our governments.”
Bolton, a foreign policy hawk, took a cautious line in public remarks to the Russian president.
Russia has said it is open to a summit between Putin and Trump, and it has been reported that White House and Kremlin officials have met in recent months to make preparations. Vienna and Helsinki have been suggested as potential venues for the meeting.Russia has said it is open to a summit between Putin and Trump, and it has been reported that White House and Kremlin officials have met in recent months to make preparations. Vienna and Helsinki have been suggested as potential venues for the meeting.
A Kremlin spokesman confirmed that Putin would meet Bolton, a foreign policy hawk and proponent of tougher measures against rivals such as Iran, North Korea, and Russia. The two sides have been at odds over issues including Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 US election, the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, cybersecurity, Nato policy and nuclear weapons. Relations between the two countries are widely seen as being at their worst since the cold war.
“The president will really receive Bolton in the Kremlin, and a conversation will take place,” Dmitri Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday. Bolton has previously called for a tougher US stance against Iran, North Korea and Russia. But Trump has charted a course more favourable to Putin, defying a US foreign policy establishment that has widely condemned Russia for allegedly hacking US political parties and spreading disinformation during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Peskov declined to say whether the conversation would touch on a possible summit. He said Bolton would also meet members of the Russian national security council, and that most of his contacts would go through Ushakov, whose portfolio includes US policy. Russia and the US have closed consulates and expelled hundreds of diplomats in tit-for-tat actions during the diplomatic fallout.
A Russian foreign ministry official posted a photograph of Bolton and the US embassy’s deputy chief of mission, Anthony Godfrey, meeting Lavrov.
Sergey Lavrov have had a meeting with John Bolton, assistant to the US President for National Security Affairs pic.twitter.com/C6TGIDrIbH
The two sides have been at odds over issues including Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 US elections, the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, cybersecurity, Nato policy and nuclear weapons. Relations between the two countries are widely seen as being at their worst since the cold war.
Bolton has previously called for a tougher US stance against Iran, North Korea and Russia. But Trump has charted a course more favourable to Putin, defying a US foreign policy establishment that has widely condemned Russia for allegedly hacking US political parties and spreading disinformation during the 2016 presidential elections.
Russia and the US have closed consulates and have expelled hundreds of diplomats in tit-for-tat actions during the diplomatic fallout.
Trump and Putin met twice at a G20 meeting Hamburg last year, and had a discussion over dinner with only a Russian translator also present. Trump said the leaders discussed adoption policy.Trump and Putin met twice at a G20 meeting Hamburg last year, and had a discussion over dinner with only a Russian translator also present. Trump said the leaders discussed adoption policy.
Expectations for any summit between Putin and Trump are modest, especially as meaningful sanctions relief for Russia would require the consent of the US Congress.Expectations for any summit between Putin and Trump are modest, especially as meaningful sanctions relief for Russia would require the consent of the US Congress.
US foreign policyUS foreign policy
RussiaRussia
John BoltonJohn Bolton
Vladimir PutinVladimir Putin
Trump-Russia investigationTrump-Russia investigation
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
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