The White House has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to Washington, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Friday.
Putin and Trump have met several times on the sidelines of multilateral gatherings, but had only one bilateral summit, in the Finnish capital in July.
"We have invited president Putin to Washington," Bolton said. It was not immediately clear if Putin had accepted the invitation.
After the Helsinki encounter, Trump was accused by opponents, and even some members of his own Republican Party, of failing to stand up to the Russian leader.
The topic of Putin visiting the United States is a highly-charged one, because U.S. intelligence agencies allege that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to help Trump win. Russian denies any election meddling.
Trump has said it is in U.S. interests to establish a solid working relationship with Putin.
Trump and Putin plan to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of events in Paris on Nov. 11 to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War One.
Bolton, who was speaking at a news conference on a visit to ex-Soviet Georgia, said their Paris meeting would be brief.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
