President Trump is considering hosting Russian leader Vladimir Putin for a bilateral meeting in Washington later this year, the White House said Monday, though nothing has been scheduled so far.
“As the President himself confirmed on March 20, hours after his last call with President Putin, the two had discussed a bilateral meeting in the ‘not-too-distant future’ at a number of potential venues, including the White House,” Trump spokesman Raj Shah said in a statement.
“We have nothing further to add at this time,” Shah added.
The White House statement came hours after Russian officials told state-run media that Trump extended an invitation to Putin during a phone call, and that U.S. officials had offered to organize the summit.
Trump and Putin have met twice at various international conferences since Trump took office, though they have not yet participated in an extended bilateral summit. Should a meeting take place this year, it would come amid rising tensions with Moscow, as the White House expelled 60 Russian diplomats and their families from the U.S.
The Trump administration also imposed new sanctions against Russia earlier this year related to the country’s occupation of Crimea and its interference in the 2016 presidential election.
