Russian ambassador to the US says Trump and Putin reached 'verbal agreements' in Helsinki on nuclear and security issues - 'much to the surprise of US officials'
- Russia's ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov told The Washington Post that the agreements were made in the summit this week
- Issues included the New START treaty and INF arms control pacts
- Antonov also said that Trump and Putin may work together on joint military operations against terrorism in Syria
- Another topic discussed among the two leaders was a deal Russia struck with Israel last month that ensures Iran stay away from the Jewish State's border
- American officials, however, appeared to be caught flat-footed about the development
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a number of 'important verbal agreements' during their summit in Helsinki this week.
That news, delivered by Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, apparently comes as a surprise to US officials.
Antonov, who spoke to The Washington Post on Wednesday, said that a handshake agreement was made on a range of issues, including the New START treaty and INF arms control pacts.
Antonov also said that Trump and Russian resident Vladimir Putin may work together on joint military operations against terrorism in Syria (JULY 16, 2018)
U.S.-Russian strategic nuclear weapons — those capable of striking each other's territory — are governed by New Start, which was negotiated by the Obama administration in 2010.
It limits each country to 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads. President Barack Obama favored further cuts, but U.S.-Russian relations soured after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea.
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The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty was signed by the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1987.
Antonov also said that Trump and Putin may work together on joint military operations against terrorism in Syria.
'It seemed to me, my impression was that the U.S. side listened … with interest,' Antonov said.
Russia's ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov (pictured) told The Washington Post that the agreements were made in the summit this week
Another topic discussed among the two leaders was a deal Russia struck with Israel last month that ensures Iran and its militia proxies stay least 50 miles away from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.
American officials, however, appeared to be caught flat-footed about the development, according to the Post, unable to answer questions about the reported agreements.
Heather Nauert, spokeseoman for the State Department, later said the administration was 'assessing . . . three takeaways' from the meeting, which she characterized as 'modest, the Post reported.
Trump said Monday that Putin privately made an 'incredible offer' to help American investigators in their prosecution of 12 Russian intelligence officers accused of hacking crimes during the 2016 presidential election season.
'He offered to have the people working on the case come and work with their investigators with respect to the 12 people,' Trump told reporters during a news conference in Helsinki following his joint summit with Putin. 'I think that's an incredible offer, OK?'
Following the meeting in Helsinki, Antonov said it was 'very bitter' to see the reception Trump received from the news media.
'Even in talking with you now, I am afraid to say something positive about the American president,' he said, 'because when American journalists or policymakers read my interview, they'll say Russia is again meddling and helping Donald Trump.'
Another topic discussed among the two leaders was a deal Russia struck with Israel last month that ensures Iran and its militia proxies stay least 50 miles away from the Jewish State's border (A picture taken on July 18, 2018 from the Israeli-annexed Syrian Golan Heights)
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