WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump will meet Wednesday with Vladimir Putin's top diplomat at the White House on Wednesday, the White House said, marking the highest level, face-to-face contact with Russia of the American leader's young presidency. It would also signal that the two countries have improved ties that Trump recently described as being at an "all-time low. But the meeting will be impossible to separate from the Trump administration's unfolding political drama in Washington, where FBI and congressional investigations are looking into possible collusion between Trump campaign associates and the Kremlin related to last year's presidential election. US intelligence agencies accuse Moscow of meddling to help Trump's chances of victory.The sigma of the Russia probes has been impossible for Trump to shake. Critical details still need to be finalized and the US response has been cautious, with top officials such as Defense Secretary Jim Mattis saying they're still studying the concept and its various unanswered questions.

Source: Economic Times May 10, 2017 05:03 UTC