Russian official: Trump and Putin reached ‘verbal agreements’

A top Russian official in Moscow on Wednesday said that President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached some “important verbal agreements” during their summit in Finland earlier this week — agreements about which US officials seemed to be unaware, according to a report.

These handshake deals covered a range of subjects – including the New START and INF arms control pacts, Russia’s ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, told reporters.

Antonov said the US and Russia are also considering joint military efforts to fight terrorism in Syria, according to the Washington Post.

“It seemed to me, my impression was that the U.S. side listened … with interest,” Antonov said.

Putin and Trump also discussed a deal Russia has with Israel to keep Iranian proxy forces – loyal to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad – at least 50 miles away from its border from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, the Post said.
However, senior US military officials on Wednesday said they had no information about any such deals, the Washington Post reported.

Antonov said he was stunned Americans were so critical of Trump for meeting with Putin.

“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.”