Trump says he is ‘going to Russia’

The US leader made a verbal slip during a press conference ahead of his upcoming meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Alaska

US President Donald Trump has told a press conference he is about to go “to Russia,” referring to his upcoming summit with President Vladimir Putin in the US state of Alaska, in an apparent slip of the tongue.

The two leaders are set to meet on August 15 to discuss a possible settlement of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, as well as a range of bilateral issues. It will be Putin’s first visit to the US in nearly a decade. Trump himself announced last week the summit would be held “in the Great State of Alaska.” The information was later confirmed by Moscow.

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“I’m going to see Putin. I’m going to Russia on Friday,” Trump told journalists while during a press conference dealing with crime in Washington, DC on Monday.
Alaska is the largest and the most sparsely populated American state. It was a Russian colony from the late 18th century until 1867, when it was sold to the US. Russians were also the first Europeans to visit this area in the early 18th century.

Moscow previously stated that it expects the two leaders’ next meeting following Alaska to take place in Russia. Trump had officially been sent an invitation, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said last week.