President Trump spoke for more than one hour with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday morning, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters.
Sanders said the leaders discussed special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russia’s role in the 2016 election and then pivoted to other topics, including crises in Venezuela and Ukraine, where the U.S. and Russia support opposing forces.
The call began with talk of Mueller, with Trump emphasizing that the investigation is over, Sanders said. She did not say if Trump brought up the report’s finding that Russia sought to help elect him.
“Very, very briefly it was discussed, essentially in the context that it’s over and there was no collusion, which I’m pretty sure both leaders were very well aware of long before this call took place,” Sanders said.
On Venezuela, Trump stressed his interest in a “peaceful transition” and the “need to help the people and make sure the aid is actually getting to them,” Sanders said.
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Russia of persuading strongman Nicolás Maduro not to leave office as U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó urged what became a failed military uprising.
“The president’s primary focus throughout the call was about helping the people of Venezuela, making clear that the United States stands with the people of Venezuela, and the importance of making sure those individuals are able to get the food and the water and the medical supplies needed. The president reiterated that sentiment several times throughout the call,” she said.
Sanders said Trump and Putin “spoke about North Korea for a good bit of time,” with Trump pressing Putin to help convince Kim Jong Un to give up his nuclear weapons. She did not directly respond to a question about whether Putin relayed a message from Kim.
The men also had preliminary discussions about a potential new nuclear disarmament pact among Russia, the U.S., and China — something Trump mused about in early April.
“There was a discussion about extending current nuclear agreements as well as discussions about possibly starting a new one that could include China as well,” she said.
