Kremlin says Putin and Trump to meet Friday in Hamburg: news agencies

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to hold a first meeting with US leader Donald Trump on Friday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, the Kremlin said Tuesday.

"It has been agreed for July 7," top Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies, without giving further details.

The much-hyped maiden encounter between the two leaders comes as Trump's camp is under intense scrutiny over any links to the Kremlin.

Ties between Washington and Moscow plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War after the Kremlin's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Trump repeatedly pledged to work to improve ties with Russia during his presidential campaign, lavishing praise on strongman leader Putin.

But hopes have waned in Moscow of an imminent improvement in ties with the US, as accusations Putin ordered a hacking and influence campaign to get Trump elected have made any links to Moscow politically toxic for the White House.

Source: AFP