Putin: Ready to meet Trump

Putin said Trump had requested such a meeting, several times and had voiced his concerns on the issue, even in their most recent telephone conversation.

“I agree with him and to have a meaningful discussion, our foreign ministries and experts must work closely together, and of course, a face-to-face meeting is necessary”, Putin told reporters at the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit, which is being held in China.

In April, the White House confirmed that Trump and Putin had discussed a meeting at the White House in a distant future during a call between them.

“Once the American side is ready, this meeting will be held, of course, in accordance with my agenda. We have not discussed a specific country, but many countries have offered their assistance, including Austria”, said Putin, who visited Vienna earlier this week.

According to White House data, Trump and Putin have been talking on the phone eight times. They have met personally twice, once at a bilateral meeting in the German and another time in the background of the Vietnam Summit of Leaders.