WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by telephone Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to prepare for the summit in Alaska between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the State Department said. “Both sides confirmed their commitment to a successful event,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters. Bruce confirmed that Putin had requested the meeting, which will take place Friday in the US state of Alaska.

The Kremlin expects the next meeting between the two presidents to take place on Russian soil, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov emphasized

Trump says he will meet with the Russian leader in the "great state of Alaska".