"During a telephone conversation between our presidents, Trump suggested that the first meeting could be held in Washington," Ushakov told journalists adding that the exact date for the talks was not discussed.

MOSCOW, April 2. /TASS/. During a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump had proposed Washington DC as the venue for talks between the Russian and US heads of state, Kremlin Aide Yuri Ushakov said on Monday.

"If everything goes well, I hope that the American side would not abandon its proposal to discuss the possibility of organizing the summit talks," Ushakov told journalists.

No preparations for a meeting between Putin and Trump are underway following their telephone call, according to Ushakov.

"After the conversation, which was constructive and business-like and touched upon many issues, there was another breakdown in our bilateral relations, 60 diplomats were expelled, our consulate was closed and Russia had to furnish a tit-for-tat response to that," Ushakov noted.

"Since March 20, the day when the telephone conversation took place, there haven’t been specific discussions on a possible meeting," he added. "In the wake of the recent developments, it would be difficult to discuss a summit," he pointed out.

According to Ushakov, since March 20, "there was no time for such discussions and no one to take part in them." However, in his words, Russia believes such an event "would be rather important and beneficial for both countries, as well as for the entire global community."

"We would like to believe that preparations for such a meeting will begin," the Kremlin aide said. "We would also hope that there would be an end to the steps the Americans have taken based on groundless allegations," he noted, adding that it would make it possible to "launch a very serious and constructive dialogue."