Trump and Putin’s RSVPs: Yes, for sure, if, if, if ...
Leaders’ back-and-forth underscores tensions
WASHINGTON — Rarely has an RSVP been so complicated.
President Donald Trump is open to visiting Moscow — if he gets a formal invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House said Friday. Mr. Putin said he’s game for a trip to Washington — but his answer came only after Mr. Trump retracted his invitation for a fall sit-down.
The awkward back-and-forth is the latest round of summit drama flowing from the two leaders’ controversial first meeting in Helsinki this month. It underscores Mr. Trump’s eagerness to forge a warmer relationship with Mr. Putin, though the Russian does not appear to share the urgency and Mr. Trump’s allies in Washington are watching with frustration.
Mr. Trump’s tentative yes to a Moscow trip comes even as lawmakers are still pushing for details about what he and Mr. Putin discussed in Helsinki. The president has been widely criticized for failing to publicly denounce Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. election and appearing to accept Mr. Putin’s denials of such activity.
Mr. Trump’s response to the criticism — an abruptly announced invitation for a second meeting in Washington in the fall — got an ice-cold reception from Republicans in Congress facing tough elections in November. Moscow was lukewarm and did not immediately accept.
Then national security adviser John Bolton said Wednesday that plans for a fall visit would be delayed until 2019. He cited special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election meddling as the reason, using Mr. Trump’s favorite term for the probe: “witch hunt.”
But the possibility of a Trump trip to Moscow emerged Friday after Mr. Putin said he was ready to invite Mr. Trump — or to visit Washington if conditions are right.
“I understand very well what President Trump said: He has the wish to conduct further meetings,” Mr. Putin said while traveling in Johannesburg. “I am ready for this. We are ready to invite President Trump to Moscow. By the way, he has such an invitation, I told him of this. I am prepared to go to Washington, but, I repeat, if the appropriate conditions for work are created.”
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded that Mr. Trump “looks forward to having President Putin to Washington after the first of the year, and he is open to visiting Moscow upon receiving a reciprocal formal invitation.”