Russia, U.S. Confirm Expected Meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin at G20 in Japan

June 25, 2019 (EIRNS)—U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton issued a statement saying President Donald Trump is looking forward to meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. Bolton made the statement ahead of his trilateral meeting with Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev in Jerusalem.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also said that Moscow expects a Trump-Putin meeting, according to TASS today.

Trump has said repeatedly that he intends to meet with Putin, but the meeting had not been confirmed.

“The President [Trump] is anticipating meeting with President Putin at the G20,” a U.S. official said June 24. “It is expected to be a conversation that will focus primarily on regional security issues including Iran, Ukraine, Syria, Middle East. They should also touch on arms control issues and on improving the bilateral relationship.” He also said scheduling for the meeting was still being worked out.

Trump is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.