International security

President Donald Trump Set To Meet With Russia’s Putin Next Week

U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit of world economic powers in Germany next week in their first ever encounter, a top U.S. official said on Thursday.

White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster told reporters that no agenda has yet been set for the meeting at the summit of G20 nations in Hamburg.

Allegations that Russia interfered in the U.S. presidential election last year and colluded with Trump’s campaign have overshadowed the businessman’s unexpected victory and have dogged his first five months in office.

The two nations are also at odds over the civil war in Syria where Moscow supports President Bashar al-Assad. The United States backs rebel groups trying to overthrow Assad, and Washington angered Russia by launching missile strikes against a Syrian government air base in April.