US President Donald Trump is a thoughtful person who listens to others, said Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing hope that the meeting between the two will be "constructive."

"He's a thoughtful person, he can listen to the person he's talking to and reacts to his arguments," Putin said of Trump in an interview with Russian journalist Sergey Brilyov that is to be aired on Saturday night.

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Earlier on Friday, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS that the ministry is conducting preliminary work for a meeting between Putin and Trump. It still remains unclear, however, where and when such a meeting might take place.

Such a meeting is greatly needed since it would facilitate the process of fixing relations between the two countries, the official added. “The American side realizes the scale of problems, which have piled up as well” and understands that they “have to be solved,” according to Ryabkov.

The relations between the two countries have been strained over the past few years, with Washington and Moscow regularly trading jabs. In the latest developments, the US Treasury in April included 24 Russians, including high-profile politicians, and 14 corporations on a sanctions list for alleged “malign activity around the globe.” The move was condemned in Moscow, which vowed to retaliate.

Last week, President Putin signed legislation on “countering hostile activities of the US and other countries,” which facilitates implementation of counter-sanctions. It allows Russian authorities to cut international cooperation with hostile states, impose import and export restrictions and undertake other measures.

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