Russia says it’s still waiting for Trump to host Putin at White House

A top Russian official said Friday that Moscow is still waiting for President Trump to send a formal invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that Mr. Trump offered informally to host Mr. Putin in Washington during a phone call on March 20.

“He returned to this topic a couple of times [during the call], so we let our American colleagues know that we do not want to impose, but we also do not want to be impolite, and that considering that President Trump made this proposal, we proceed from the position that he will make it concrete,” Mr. Lavrov said, RIA Novosti reported Friday,

The news agency quoted Mr. Lavrov as saying that Mr. Trump told the Russian leader “he would be glad to see [Mr. Putin] in the White House, would then be glad to meet on a reciprocal visit.”

Mr. Trump decided earlier this week to hold off on new sanctions against Russia over its role in Syria’s civil war. The president has said repeatedly that he hopes to improve relations with Moscow, a point that Mr. Lavrov emphasized.

“I would simply turn your attention to the fact that Donald Trump after this phone conversation has said several times in both tweets and in words that it is necessary to resolve issues with Russia, we want to have good relations with Russia, this is better than not having good relations, and that only a fool thinks otherwise,” Mr. Lavrov said. “We also hear this.”