MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed potentially meeting at the White House in the 'not-too-distant future' during a phone call last month, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed on Monday.
Sanders said in a statement that the White House was one of a 'number of potential venues' the two leaders discussed as the site of a meeting.
'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,' Sanders said. 'We have nothing further to add at this time.'
The statement from Sanders comes after Putin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Trump specifically invited the Russian president to the White House.
During the phone call last month, Trump congratulated Putin on his recent re-election victory, drawing criticism from some lawmakers concerned about the legitimacy of the results.
'I called President Putin of Russia to congratulate him on his election victory (in past, Obama called him also),' Trump said in a post on Twitter.
'The Fake News Media is crazed because they wanted me to excoriate him,' he added. 'They are wrong! Getting along with Russia (and others) is a good thing, not a bad thing.'
Trump told reporters he expected to meet Putin in the not-too-distant future to discuss the arms race, which he said is getting out of control.
Since the call between the two leaders, Trump ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats in response to a nerve agent attack on a former spy.
Trump also ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle due to its proximity to a U.S. submarine base and Boeing (BA).
Russia responded by announcing it would expel 60 American diplomats and close the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg.
(Photo: www.kremlin.ru)
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