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U.S. says Russia’s return to fold ‘inevitable’ as summit looms

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. National security adviser John Bolton greet each other as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, center, looks at them during the meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 27, 2018. (Alexander Zemlianichenko / Associated Press)
By Matthew Lee and Vladimir Isachenkov Associated Press
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. National security adviser John Bolton greet each other as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, center, looks at them during the meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 27, 2018. (Alexander Zemlianichenko / Associated Press)

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that President Donald Trump views Moscow’s return to the international fold as inevitable and that “trade-offs” could allow it to re-enter the Group of Seven club of industrialized democracies without it giving Crimea back to Ukraine.

Pompeo’s comments Wednesday to the Senate Appropriations Committee came as Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton met in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin to prepare for a summit between the two leaders next month in Europe.

Pompeo says he can imagine a series of “trade-offs” with Russia that would be acceptable to the U.S. and others and would allow its return to the G-7. He stressed that the U.S. position remains that Russia illegally annexed Crimea, a move that led to its suspension from the G-7.