MOSCOW: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are to speak on Saturday, sources from both countries have confirmed. Putin called Trump after the November election win but the two leaders have yet to have a discussion about global affairs and mutual ties. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local news media that Putin will congratulate Trump on the inauguration during their phone call on Saturday, and likely discuss a meeting between the two to be held in a few months time. Ties between Moscow and Washington have for the past two years been strained due to the Syria and Ukraine crises. Putin has said he looks forward to working with Trump, while the US president has laid out conditions to remove Obama-era sanctions. At press time, Trump was to meet with UK Prime Minister Theresa May, the first world leader to meet with the new US President.
May is looking for a trade deal with the US and is seeking to find common ground with Trump on global policy issues. She said she would provide Trump with advice to engage with Putin, “but beware”. “We should engage with Russia from a position of strength and build the relationship, systems, and processes that make cooperation more likely than conflict.”
