Trump Confirms G-20 Summit With Putin, Says Paris Meeting “Probably Won’t Happen”

Three days after a Kremlin spokesman revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Trump had agreed to a “long and thorough” meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires, President Trump confirmed as much during brief comments with reporters at Andrews Air Force Base on Monday, but added that he “probably won’t” be meeting with Putin next week in Paris, where both men are expected to attend a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI.

The president reiterated that he, Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping – with whom the president is also expected to meet in Buenos Aires later this month – would be having “plenty of meetings” in the future. Moscow and Washington are in the process of planning a Washington summit expected some time early next year. However, Trump said he’s “not sure” about whether a Paris meeting would happen.

“We haven’t set anything up yet – we don’t know whether that’s going to be the right place. I’m going to be in Paris for other reason. But we will be meeting at the G-20. We will be having meetings after that – probably plenty of meetings. Getting along with Russia and China would be a good thing – I’ve said it many times. But I’m not sure that we’ll have a meeting in Paris – probably not.”

Meetings between Trump and Putin would come as the DOJ has indicted a Russian national for her involvement with another Russian troll farm trying to “interfere” with the US midterms, as US lawmakers weigh more sanctions on Russian banks.

Trump also said he believes Republicans will perform better than many expect in Tuesday’s midterms, though he acknowledged that, historically, the president’s party typically loses seats in Congress. The president also mockingly dismissed questions about the “racist” campaign advertisement that has been pulled by several cable channels and networks, replying that sometimes reporters ask him questions that are “offensive.”

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