Trump invites Putin to Washington, ‘possible’ White House visit: Russian FM

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet with US President Donald Trump "possibly" at the White House, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. It would be their third meeting as presidents and Putin's first White House visit since 2005.

 

Lavrov said Putin and Trump during a phone call agreed to the meeting with the "possible" venue being at the White House, Russia's state-run RIA Novosti reported following an interview with Lavrov on Friday.

 

The White House has not confirmed the meeting.

 

Moscow has made similar hints at a meeting. The Kremlin's foreign policy advisor also hinted at a Washington visit in the near future after a Putin-Trump call on March 20.

 

New US National Security Advisor John Bolton met with Russia's ambassador to Washington, hinting at better bilateral relations.

 

"Ambassador Bolton reiterated that it is in the interest of both the United States and Russia to have better relations, but that this will require addressing our concerns regarding Russia's interference in the 2016 election, the reckless use of chemical weapons in the United Kingdom, and the situations in Ukraine and Syria," read a statement from Bolton's office.

 

The US recently sanctioned several Russian entities, including Gazprom that has operations in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

 

The two permanent members of the UN Security Council have been at odds over the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict.

 

Putin has not been to the White House since 2005, when former President George W. Bush hosted him. Putin declined an invitation by former President Barack Obama to visit the US presidential retreat at Camp David in 2012, and the Russian leader never was invited to the White House.

 

Since Trump became president in 2016, he and Putin have met in Germany and in Vietnam. Both are expected to attend a Group of 20 summit in Argentina in November.