Russian envoy: Moscow open to Putin visit to Washington

Russian Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Russian ambassadors to foreign countries in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, July 19, 2018. Putin says his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump was "successful" and is accusing Trump's opponents in the U.S. of hampering any progress on the issues they discussed. (Sergei Karpukhin/Pool Photo via AP)

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's ambassador to the U.S. says Moscow is ready to discuss a possible visit by President Vladimir Putin to Washington after an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said Friday that Russia "was always open to such proposals. We are ready for discussions on this subject."

However he noted that it is up to the Kremlin to formally respond. The Kremlin has not commented on Trump's proposal Thursday.

And Antonov also said that it's important to "deal with the results" of the two men's summit in Helsinki this week before moving ahead too fast with another meeting.

Concerns have been raised in the U.S. about what the two presidents discussed at their meeting.

He also reiterated denials of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.