It is unclear if Lavrov will meet with Trump. ADOne day before the meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladi­mir Putin in Paris. ADLavrov’s last trip to Washington in 2017 concluded in a firestorm of criticism after Russian state media released images of him and other U.S. officials smiling and shaking hands after U.S. photojournalists were barred entry to the meeting. The meeting came a day after Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey, who was leading the investigation into the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russian officials. “From the outset of his tenure as secretary of state, Pompeo has kept his distance from a prominent role running the U.S.-Russia relationship,” Weiss said.

Source: Washington Post December 07, 2019 01:17 UTC