White House delays second Trump-Putin meeting

World Today

U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, during their joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, Monday, July 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The White House is delaying the next meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin until next year. Trump had invited Putin to the White House this Fall.

CGTN’s Jessica Stone reports.

On Capitol Hill, Wednesday, members of Trump’s own party voiced concerns about his apparent coziness with the Russians.

Former US CIA Director Mike Pompeo takes reigns at State Department

“You come before a group of senators today who are filled with serious doubts about this White House and its conduct of American foreign policy,” said Senator Bob Corker, Tennessee.

But U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tried to reassure lawmakers that Trump had fully briefed him on the two hour-plus conversation he had with Putin.

Pompeo said he and Trump both warned Moscow against meddling in the 2018 U.S. elections, He added Trump had not offered to lighten sanctions or allow Moscow to interrogate former U.S. diplomats. Pompeo also clarified Washington’s position on Crimea.

“There will be no relief of Crimea-related sanctions until Russia returns control of the Crimean Peninsula to Ukraine,” he said.

As for progress on the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, Pompeo said Pyongyang’s dismantling of this satellite launching station is a promise kept by Kim Jong Un.
But he also admitted, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is still producing material for nuclear weapons.

“We have no intention of letting the world’s sanctions that we led the charge to be put in place — be lifted or not enforced — until such time as Chairman Kim makes good on the commitment he made — which I am incredibly hopeful that he will, those sanctions will remain,” said Pompeo. “We have not been taken for a ride.”

The top U.S. envoy to the DRPK, Mark Lambert, heads to Asia this week to discuss denuclearization.