Putin ‘ready to go to Washington’, invites Trump to Moscow
The Russian leader said phone calls are not the best way to discuss global conflicts or Iran’s nuclear deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he had invited US leader Donald Trump to visit Moscow and was ready to travel to Washington for a new summit.
Putin and Trump met in Helsinki earlier this month, but Trump faced a storm of criticism for attending.
“I am ready to go to Washington,” Putin told reporters after a summit of the leaders of the BRICS group – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – in Johannesburg, adding he had also invited Trump to visit Moscow.
However, he said the conditions need to be right for meeting to happen.
“Regarding our meetings, I understand very well what President Trump said. He has a desire to have further meetings, to hold further meetings. I am ready for that. We need for the appropriate conditions to exist, to be created, including in our countries,” Putin told a news conference.
The Russian leader said telephone calls between Moscow and Washington were insufficient and that both sides needed to meet to talk about issues like the Iran nuclear deal and global conflicts.