U.S. ambassador: Any Trump-Putin summit ‘would be a ways off’

WASHINGTON – The U.S. ambassador to Russia says any meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin “would be a ways off.”

Jon Huntsman suggested Sunday on “Fox & Friends” that if a summit were to occur, “the president, at the right time, will say what needs to be said.”

Huntsman’s statement comes after a report that White House officials were working toward setting up a meeting.

Trump has said he was open to having a summit with Putin, who U.S. intelligence officials have said directed Russian meddling in the 2016 election to help Trump win.

The president has repeatedly said he wants to improve relationships with Moscow.

Huntsman says Trump would not sit down with Putin unless he had issues to discuss “that were aligned with our national interests.”