A terse synchronized statement said the two presidents will discuss bilateral issues and international relations. The announcement comes a day after Trump鈥檚 National Security Adviser John Bolton held talks with Russian officials in Moscow to lay the groundwork for the summit.

鈥淚鈥檝e said it from day one, getting along with Russia and with China and with everybody is a very good thing,鈥� Trump said Wednesday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good for the world. It鈥檚 good for us. It鈥檚 good for everybody.鈥�

He said they would discuss Syria, Ukraine and 鈥渕any other subjects.鈥�

Putin had two brief meetings with Trump on the sidelines of international summits last year, but plans for a full-fledged summit have been thrown back amid the U.S. investigations into alleged collusion between Trump鈥檚 campaign and Russia.

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Ahead of the announcement, Trump repeated Russian denials of election interference, tweeting 鈥淩ussia continues to say they had nothing to do with Meddling in our Election!鈥�

Trump has continually parroted the Kremlin鈥檚 denial of election interference, a move that has put him out of step with the findings of the U.S. intelligence community and nearly all Democrats and Republicans in Congress, who say there鈥檚 clear evidence of Russian efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

Russia鈥檚 Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is likely to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo within the next two weeks as part of efforts to set the stage for the summit.

Ryabkov said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies Thursday that Moscow already has made a proposal regarding the specifics of the meeting and is waiting for Washington鈥檚 answer.

The Associated Press

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