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Russia, US agree on Putin-Trump summit

The details will be announced on June 28
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US National Security Adviser John Bolton Mikhail Metzel/TASS
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US National Security Adviser John Bolton
© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, June 27. /TASS/. Moscow and Washington have agreed on the date and venue for a meeting between Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, the details will be announced on Thursday, June 28, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters following meeting between the Russian leader and US National Security Adviser John Bolton.

"The two countries have discussed the issue for a long time, it has been discussed through closed channels. I can say that an agreement has been reached on holding the summit, even an agreement on the date and venue. We will presumably announce that tomorrow together with our US counterparts," Ushakov said on Wednesday.

The Kremlin aide noted that the two presidents would meet at a "comfortable" venue in a third country. "Before the meeting [with Putin] contacts behind closed doors were held to agree the parameters and possibility of such a meeting [of the Russian and US leaders]," Ushakov said

"A very convenient place for us and the American side has been selected in a third country," he added.

According to Ushakov, the summit is likely to last several hours. "It’s also highly likely that the two Presidents will meet in the middle of the day. Beyond any doubt, there will be a tete-a-tete meeting, a protocol event of some kind - a working breakfast I think - and then a joint news conference," he said.

Summit with a focus on result

Ushakov suggested that Putin and Trump could make a joint statement following the summit.

"The issue at hand was that the two presidents can agree on a joint statement that could outline the two countries’ further steps both in terms of improving bilateral relations, in terms of joint steps in the international arena and in terms of maintaining global stability and security," he said.

According to the Kremlin aide, there are several major priority issues for the summit. These are strategic stability, the fight against international terrorism, regional issues, including all conflict situations across the globe and bilateral relations.

"All these issues are fundamentally important both for us and Americans," Ushakov stressed. "However, if we talk about the issues, which can be discussed [at the summit], I can only assume thosse will be the current situation in bilateral relations, the Syrian settlement, global stability and the disarmament dossier."

The meeting between Putin and Bolton was held with due account for that agenda. "[The two sides] discussed Russian-US relations, including in light of preparations for a Putin-Trump summit," Ushakov noted.

Putin’s message

Ushakov added that Putin had conveyed a verbal message to Trump. "Our president conveyed some thoughts to John Bolton that were intended exclusively for Trump. The conversation had a format of negotiations, nothing was handed over in a written form," he stressed.

Speaking about Putin’s message, Ushakov explained that the Russian president wished his US counterpart every success and all the best. "Our president stressed that he assigned high priority to the upcoming meeting, would get ready for it and sent Trump his best regards," he said.

Discussion continues

The Kremlin aide noted that he plans to continue discussing the details of the upcoming summit with Bolton on Wednesday. "I will meet with Bolton again later today, and we will agree specifically how we can do this best [announce the details of the Putin-Trump summit]," he told reporters.

The Kremlin aide stressed that the Russian-US summit is a very important event. "The meeting has been planned for a long time. It is very important for both Russia and the United States, and it is very important internationally," Ushakov said, adding that he considers it to be the key global event of this summer.