Wishful thinking

Kremlin says Trump, Putin meeting is ‘wishful thinking’

Russian media reported on US-Russia meeting before July’s G20.

By CYNTHIA KROET

A Kremlin spokesman on Thursday said a media report that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump were going to meet in May was “wishful thinking,” Reuters reported.

Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing Russian and U.S. government sources, reported that the two leaders were set to meet next month for the first time, prior to July’s G20 summit in Germany.

Last month, Putin said he would be “glad” to meet Trump at an Arctic nations summit in Finland in May, the BBC reported.

“Both sides should prepare such events,” Putin said. “If not, then such a meeting could take place within the framework of the usual meetings, at the G20.”

Relations between the U.S. and Russia cooled in recent weeks following a U.S. air strike in Syria, and Russia’s crackdown on anti-corruption protests.