Putin – Trump : “The meeting, to be held on July 16 in Helsinki”
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will have a detailed discussion about the Syrian conflict when they meet at their first official summit in July, the Kremlin said on Friday.
The meeting, to be held on July 16 in Helsinki, is likely to worry some U.S. allies, particularly those who want to isolate Russia on the international stage, as well as drawing a fiery reaction from some of Trump’s critics at home.
Russia’s support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom the United States and its Western allies accuse of using chemical weapons against civilians, has been one of the main flashpoints in the tense relationship between Washington and the Kremlin. “There’s no doubt about the fact that Syria will be discussed in depth,” Kremlin spokesman Peskov said in a call with reporters. “A thoroughly exhaustive discussion awaits.”
