President Trump has been invited to visit Russia in 2020 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany, the Kremlin said Friday.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the invitation was extended during bilateral discussions held on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan.
“Trump was positive [about the invitation] and said that he would be expecting an official invitation,” Mr. Peskov said, Russian state media reported.
The Kremlin will send a formal invitation to Mr. Trump “in the coming days,” Mr. Peskov added, according to the government-run TASS agency.
The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin spoke on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit for about 80 minutes Friday, marking their first reported one-on-one meeting since a special summit held last July in Helsinki.
“Both leaders agreed that improved relations between the United States and Russia was in each countries’ mutual interest and the interest of the world,” the White House said in a readout of their meeting Friday. “The Presidents agreed the two countries will continue discussion on a 21st century model of arms control, which President Trump stated as needing to include China. The leaders also discussed the situations in Iran, Syria, Venezuela and Ukraine.”
Mr. Trump has not traveled to Russia while in office. Mr. Putin last visited the U.S. in 2015.
Yuri Ushakov, a Russian diplomat attending the G-20 summit, said Mr. Trump was invited to attend festivities slated for May 9, TASS reported. Celebrated as “Victory Day,” the date commemorates the surrender by Nazi Germany during World War II and is typically recognized in Moscow with a massive military parade.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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