Putin expects ' constructive' meeting with Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he expects his meeting with United States President Donald Trump to be "constructive."

"He is a serious-minded person who knows how to listen to people and respond to their arguments. This leads me to believe that dialogue may prove to be constructive," TASS quoted Putin as saying.

The two leaders are likely to meet this year as Trump, in April, extended an invitation to meet with the Russian President.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov earlier said such a meeting is vital for improving relations between Moscow and Washington.

This will be the third time that both the leaders would meet face-to-face.

Putin and Trump first met during the G20 summit in Germany's Hamburg in July last year and again met for the second time in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam in November last year.

Earlier in March this year, the two leaders held a telephonic conversation, where Trump had invited Putin to visit Washington D.C.

It is to be noted that relations between US and Russia are greatly strained due to the crisis in Ukraine, Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2015, differences regarding Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war, and the alleged meddling of 2016 US presidential election.

(ANI)