President Trump will speak by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, marking the first official conversation between the two leaders since Mr. Trump was sworn into office last Friday.
Asked about the possibility that sanctions on Russia imposed by the Obama administration would be on the table right away, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said: “All of that is under consideration.”
“Certainly, in addition to improving relations with different foreign leaders and their nations around the globe,” Ms. Conway said Friday on “Fox & Friends.”
“If Vladimir Putin wants to join with the U.S. to have a serious conversation about how to defeat radical Islamic terrorism … if another nation that has considerable resources wishes to join together with the United States of America to try to defeat and eradicate radical Islamic terrorism, then we’re listening,” she said.
In a separate appearance on “CBS This Morning,” Ms. Conway declined to say who initiated the call. The Kremlin announced the planned conversation earlier Friday.
“But it also doesn’t matter in that [we] have to have leaders talking to each other,” she said. “We have to forge better relationships around the globe.”
Last month, Mr. Trump complimented Mr. Putin for declining to immediately retaliate for new sanctions imposed by the Obama administration.
“Great move on delay (by V. Putin) — I always knew he was very smart!” Mr. Trump said on Twitter.
Some Democrats who boycotted last week’s inauguration say they don’t consider Mr. Trump to be a legitimate president because of Russian interference in last year’s campaign.
Mr. Trump is meeting Friday with British Prime Minister Theresa May. That’s the president’s first official meeting at the White House with a foreign leader since the inauguration.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on Twitter Friday that in addition to the conversation with Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump will also speak by phone with the leaders of France and Germany on Saturday.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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