Peskov: it’s early to speak on Putin-Tillerson meeting

This is doubly true because Tillerson is also said to be planning a visit to Moscow to meet with Russian officials the following week.

The diplomat said: “Given the challenge that Russian Federation poses, not just to the United States but to Europe, it’s critical to engage on the basis of a united front if at all possible”.

“We are certainly appreciative of the effort to accommodate Secretary Tillerson”, Toner told reporters.

Nevertheless, Tillerson’s decision will likely raise eyebrows among some of the United States’ European partners.

During his election campaign, Mr Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and described North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as “obsolete”.

The Nato summit is scheduled for 5-6 April, but the State Department confirmed that Mr Tillerson would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at President Trump’s Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, from 6-7 April.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also will be in attendance. Reuters said the American would arrive in Russian Federation in April.

If by ‘footsie, ‘ that official means making an enormous deal that would increase Russia’s reach and power into both Europe and the Middle East, Trump and Tillerson are right on top of it. The US will be represented by Tillerson’s deputy in Brussels. In his first diplomatic tour to Asia, Tillerson rebuked North Korea’s persistent provocation – including its nuclear program and missile launches – and acknowledged USA deterrence engagement with the country has failed. The last time was during the Iraq war in 2003, when Colin Powell was forced to cancel at the last moment.

Ambassador Nikki Haley, speaking from the world body’s headquarters in NY, said the decision to focus on Israel at the regular meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council reflected long-standing “anti-Israel bias” at the United Nations.

As Pravda.Ru reported, the first meeting of Lavrov and Tillerson has happened in Bonn, in February before the G20 ministerial meeting.

The spokesman said Tillerson would meet nearly all of the alliance’s members Wednesday when the Coalition to Defeat ISIS gathers in Washington.