Thread by @m_suchkov

SHORT THREAD on the upcoming #Helsinki summit b/n #Putin, @realDonaldTrump.
1. Amidst modest,if not low,expectations on the very deliverables of the meeting it's interesting to see public & back-channel efforts of #Moscow & #Washington to build the agenda for the summit.

2. @AmbJohnBolton 's visit to #Moscow was meant to lay the ground for the summit & it appears the parties have reached agreement on the basics. What #Putin & #Bolton were conveying to one another is important.
al-monitor.com/pulse/original…

3. There's plenty of speculation over what the two will agree on in #Syria - the topic likely to dominate the summit. That said, given what's happening now b/n #Rus #US diplomats it's clear they been tasked to elaborate on broader agenda to make the talks look substantive.

4. Beyond #Syria, #Russia & #US now in talks over #DPRK. US Deputy Assistant State Secretary & Deputy Special Rep for #NorthKorea Policy Mark Lambert was in #Moscow on Friday for consultations w/ RUS FM's Amb-at-Large Oleg Burmistrov&Deputy FM Igor Morgulov who works on DPRK file

5. Earlier this week, another #Russia/n Deputy FM Grushko held talks w/ #US Deputy Assistant Secretaries of State Kathleen Kavalec (works on Russia) & Bruce Turner (deals w/ arms control issues).They discussed conflict in #Ukraine,European security,#OSCE & Treaty on Open Skies.

6. Also on TUE this week, #Russia's Enegry Minister Novak was in #Washington meeting w/ #US Treasury Sec Mnuchin to discuss US sanctions on #Rus & #Moscow’s plan to expand #NordStream gas pipeline to #Germany.

7. There're also ongoing discussions on arms control,ABM treaty,START.
To be clear-there's plenty of skepticism on practical implications of the summit in #Moscow.There's gonna be a lot of empthasis on symbolism of the meeting,but parties evidently also seek to fill it w/ issues.

8. #Russia's Foreign Ministry spox Zakharova says the Ministry doesn't comment on upcoming #Putin-#Trump summit since it's competence of the Presidential Administration, adds she'd avoid "loud words" as "breakthroughs" but rather approach the summit in "pragmatic"&"realist"manner

9. A jounalist started question on @AmbJohnBolton visit to #Moscow by saying "#Bolton known here as outspoken Russophob.." Zakharova cuts the jorno short asking"What you mean "known here"?Where?Have you read his book"Surrender is not an option"?Go read,I like it,it's interesting"

10.Extradition of #Snowden been recently raised as part of #Putin,#Trump agreements,#Moscow denies such possibility.Meanwhile Snowden recently said #Rus spy agencies proposed cooperation&he refused.He added Rus people are kind but not naive&they know gov is "in many ways corrupt"