Kremlin: Russia, US postpone summit on French request

Russian President Vladimir Putin, listens during a meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. (AP)

MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin says Russia and the U.S. have agreed not to hold a summit in Paris to avoid distracting attention from Armistice Day commemorations.

Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump would briefly see each other in Paris during this weekend’s events marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, but won’t have a full-scale meeting.

Ushakov said France had conveyed its concern that a Putin-Trump summit would steal the limelight, and officials have decided to delay the meeting until the end of the month when both leaders attend the Group of 20 summit in Argentina.

Trump said Monday he “probably” won’t be meeting with Putin in Paris, but will meet with him during the G-20.