Breaking: Helsinki summit begins with Putin telling Trump the time has come "to discuss in detail bilateral relations and sore points around the world." He adds "thank you" in English.
Trump to Putin: Congratulations on one of best World Cups ever. We will talk about "everything from trade to military to missiles to nuclear to China, our mutual friend President Xi."
"I think we will end up having an extradordinary relationship," Trump tells Putin. "I really think the world wants to see us get along. We are the 2 great nuclear powers. We have 90% of the nuclear, and that's not a good thing, it's a bad thing."
China? Seems like Trump has been talking to his ambassador in Moscow, Jon Huntsman, who used to be US ambassador in Beijing.
After 2-hour one-on-one, Helsinki talks continue over lunch in Hall of Mirrors in Finnish Presidential Palace. Accompanying Trump: Mike Pompeo, John Kelly, John Bolton, Jon Huntsman, Fiona Hill, interpreter.
Accompanying Putin to Trump lunch were: Sergei Lavrov (FM), Yury Ushakov (foreign policy adviser), Anatoly Antonov (ambassador to US), Dmitry Peskov (press secretary), Georgy Borisenko (head of North America desk, MFA), interpreter.
