U.S. President Trump plans to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin on Moscow’s “malign activity” around the globe, including election meddling, when they meet next week, top administration officials said Thursday.
Jon Huntsman, U.S. ambassador to Russia, said Mr. Trump wants to improve relations but isn’t letting Mr. Putin off the hook for aggression in Ukraine and interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
“The ball is really in Russia’s court, and the president will continue to hold Russia responsible for its malign activity,” Mr. Huntsman told reporters.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin will meet July 16 in Helsinki, Finland. It will be the first formal summit between the two leaders, although they’ve met twice before.
Mr. Huntsman said the U.S. has repeatedly confronted Russia about the election hacking, despite Mr. Trump frequently diminishing the issue.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin will meet alone at the summit because the president decided that this is the right time for direct communication, said a senior administration official.
The summit also will include a bilateral meeting and a working lunch between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin.
The summit will follow a NATO meeting where confronting Russia will also top the agenda, said U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison.
She said a major issue at the NATO meeting in Brussels will be strengthening the alliance’s deterrent to “malign activity by Russia.”
Mrs. Hutchison and Mr. Huntsman briefed reporters on the president’s upcoming trip to Europe, which will also include a visit to the United Kingdom.
Mr. Huntsman said Mr. Trump believes an improved relationship with Russia is in both countries’ interest and in the interest of world peace.
“You can’t solve problems if you are not talking about them,” he said.
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Source:Washington Times
