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PUTIN-TRUMP MEETING IN HELSINKI

US congressional delegation hopes Putin-Trump summit will be successful — senator

The US congressional delegation arrived in Russia on June 30

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

ST. PETERSBURG, July 2. /TASS/. The US congressional delegation to Russia hopes for positive outcomes of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Helsinki on July 16, Head of the US Congressional Delegation to Russia and Senator for Alabama Richard Shelby stated during a meeting with Governor of St. Petersburg Georgy Poltavchenko.

"We realize that there is an upcoming meeting between President Putin and President Trump in Helsinki. We are all hoping that something good and classy will come out of it for our countries," Shelby said.

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Trump seeks to understand Russia’s stance, lay out US plans at Helsinki summit

Shelby informed that the members of Congress who are currently on a visit to Russia expect to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

"We are on our way later today to Moscow. And we hope to have some high-level meetings, perhaps we’ll have to see if we’ll have a chance to meet with President Putin," Shelby said during a meeting with Governor of St. Petersburg Georgy Poltavchenko.

Senator noted that he had been making regular visits to Russia for the last 40 years, and that seven years had passed since his last visit to Moscow. "[However], this is the biggest congressional delegation that has been here in a number of years, I’ve been told," he added.

The US delegation consists of Alabama Senator and Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Richard Shelby, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy, North Dakota Senator John Hoeven, South Dakota Senator John Thune, Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, Montana Senator Steve Daines, as well as member of the US House of Representatives from Texas Kay Granger.

The US congressional delegation arrived in Russia on Saturday. Their first visit has been to St. Petersburg. They will then come to Moscow, where they will stay until July 5. In Moscow, the delegation members have set out to meet with Russian officials from the Federation Council (upper house of Russian parliament) and the Russian Foreign Ministry.

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