Russian Senator Hopes Putin-Trump Meeting to Promote Understanding on Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump’s first meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg may lead to better relations between the countries, including better mutual understanding on Syria and on fighting terrorism, Russian State Duma’s International Affairs Committee Chairman Leonid Slutsky said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov announced earlier Tuesday that the first personal meeting of Putin and Trump had been agreed upon and would be held on July 7 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. The White House has also confirmed the meeting.

“Firstly, we expect that the meeting would result in a more serious understanding concerning cooperation on the Syrian situation, as well as in the field of fighting international terrorism in general. I am sure that the Hamburg meeting will promote the opening of a new, constructive page in Russia-US relations,” Slutsky told reporters.

He expressed hope that the forthcoming talks, scheduled on July 07, would be constructive and unbiased as opposed to the “anti-Russian” stance that former President Barack Obama’s administration used to take. That attitude still has a harmful impact on bilateral dialogue, the senior lawmaker noted.

The G20 summit will be held in Hamburg on July 7-8.