President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to speak on the phone Saturday for the first time since Trump came into office.
The call will likely be the beginning of Trump’s attempt to improve relations with the Kremlin. Putin and President Obama had a notably sour relationship, and diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Russia are at their lowest point in many years.
Trump has taken a positive approach toward Putin since the Russian leader complimented him during the campaign. He’s promised to work with Russia to defeat the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations abroad.
Reports surfaced earlier this month that Trump and the Russian government worked together during the campaign to defeat Hillary Clinton, but those claims are unverified and denied by the Russian government and Trump’s team.
However, U.S. intelligence officials determined during the campaign and Obama’s final months in office that Putin was behind an influence campaign on the American presidential election. While the effort started out as an attempt to weaken American confidence in the country’s governmental institutions, intelligence officials determined Putin preferred Trump to Clinton in the White House.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump would also talk with the leaders of France and Germany this weekend.
Getting the most out of the 1st full week- tomorrow @potus will speak by phone with leaders of France, Germany and Russia
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) January 27, 2017
