“… Trump is set to hold the first [formal] summit of his presidency with … Putin on July 16 in Helsinki … White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the leaders would meet to discuss relations between their two nations and a ‘range of national security issues.’ The Kremlin … announced the details of the meeting at the same time as the White House … [and] said the meeting would discuss ‘the state and future outlook for developing Russian-American relations, as well as topical international issues.’ Before meeting with … Putin, the president is scheduled to attend a [NATO] summit … and is … planning to visit the U.K. … Trump met twice with … Putin last year on the sidelines of international conferences ….”

National Security Advisor John Bolton met with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, in part as a precursor to the Tump-Putin summit. Among other developments, the Mueller investigation continues. During the Trump presidency, U.S. sanctions against Russia have expanded, e.g., in connection with concerns over meddling in U.S. elections and the attempted assassination of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with a nerve agent in the UK. Trump nevertheless has voiced interest in working with Russia on international crises, including Syria, and has suggested Russia be readmitted to the G-7. Russia was excluded from that framework after its 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea.

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