The most memorable moment of the summit came during the closing stages of the joint press conference. As the formal proceedings were winding down, Putin surprised Trump with a comment delivered in English rather than through his translator: “Next time in Moscow.”
The invitation represented a significant diplomatic gesture, particularly given the strained state of U.S.-Russia relations and the rarity of American presidents visiting Russia. No U.S. president has visited Russia since Barack Obama attended the G20 Summit in 2013.
Trump’s immediate reaction revealed both surprise and awareness of the political implications: “That’s an interesting one, I’ll get a little heat on that one. But I could see it possibly happening.” The exchange highlighted the personal rapport between the two leaders while also acknowledging the domestic political challenges such a visit would present.
In a subsequent Fox News interview with Sean Hannity, Trump elaborated on the invitation and his overall assessment of the meeting, rating it “10 out of 10” in terms of the leaders “getting along great.” This personal chemistry, while potentially positive for diplomatic relations, also raised questions among critics about Trump’s approach to dealing with Putin.