Trump invites Putin to Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to Washington for a summit in October, the White House has said.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a tweet that Trump asked his National Security Adviser, John Bolton, to extend the invitation to the Russian leader.

Sanders said: “In Helsinki, @POTUS agreed to ongoing working level dialogue between the two security council staffs.

“President Trump asked @AmbJohnBolton to invite President Putin to Washington in the fall and those discussions are already underway.”

Sanders announced the invitation less than an hour after the Republican-led Senate effectively rebuked President Donald Trump for considering Russia’s request to question U.S. officials.

The development followed growing criticisms over the Trump’s relationship with Putin following their summit in Helsinki on Monday.

The Senate, in a resolution adopted 98-0 by senators across the aisle, called on the U.S. to refuse to make any officials available for interrogation by Putin’s government.

Shortly before the vote was scheduled to begin, Sanders issued a statement rejecting the Russian proposal.

“It is a proposal that was made in sincerity by President Putin, but President Trump disagrees with it,” Sanders said.

The Senate’s vote is nonbinding but it marked a rare decision by Republican leader Mitch McConnell to take up a resolution written by top Democrat Chuck Schumer undercutting the Republican president.