Trump downplays Russian claim of Sunday ‘working lunch’ with Putin

President Trump downplayed the Russian government’s suggestion Wednesday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin would have a “short working lunch” this weekend, saying that “there are many people” who will attend.

“We will be having a lunch, but I think that there are many people there,” Trump said. “We are having lunch for numerous countries. I will be there. I believe that President Putin is going to be there.”

Trump’s remarks during an 87-minute press conference at the White House brought another twist to expectations on whether the men will meet for the first time following their July summit in Helsinki.

Plans for Trump and Putin to interact in Paris have been in flux since national security adviser John Bolton said last month that the men would meet, before Trump said Monday they would “probably not.”

The lunch was first disclosed Wednesday by Kremlin official Yuri Ushakov, who said the men would have a short working lunch at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Sunday.

According to Trump, however, extensive talks with Putin are not expected.

“We do not have anything scheduled [with Putin]. I do not think that we have anything scheduled in Paris. And I am coming back very quickly,” Trump said, adding that he believes that he may have a lengthier discussion with the Russian leader during the G-20 summit in Argentina this year.

Trump and Putin are visiting Paris to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I ending, and events will likely bring Trump in proximity to world leaders with whom he’s clashed on trade and Iran policy, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and French President Emmanuel Macron.

“We are representing the incredible heroes of the world. But the heroes of our country from World War I. And so, I will be going there. And I am very proud to go there,” Trump said. “I do not think that we have time set aside for that meeting. Now, with that being said, we are very shortly meeting again at the G-20, where he will be there. And I will be there. And that is where we are actually looking toward meeting.”

Trump did not answer two questions about whether Putin had called him to congratulate him on the Tuesday midterm election results, in which Republicans gained seats in the Senate but lost control of the House of Representatives.