Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he is willing to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump before July's G-20 meeting, but his counterpart must demonstrate a readiness to cooperate.
"We have a lot of things to discuss in economy, security and regional conflicts. We're ready for discussions and talks but the other side should demonstrate and manifest their goodwill and readiness for constructive cooperation and work," the Russian president said via an interpreter.
Putin reconfirmed his willingness to meet with Trump several times during an interview with CNBC's Geoff Cutmore during the Arctic Forum in Arkhangelsk, Russia.
He spoke after Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said he would be "very pleased" to host a summit once Finland assumes chair of the Arctic Council, provided there was something to be discussed.
"Helsinki would be an appropriate venue for organizing such events," Putin said. "If it happens we would be glad to participate and I would be glad to attend.
"If not, probably in the format of regular meetings in G-20 we'll have that event, that meeting," the Russian president added.
The Finnish president spelled out his terms for hosting a summit.
"To host a summit you have to have also something to say out of that summit, and we want to surely see how the situation is going on, how the discussions are going on, whether we find some new common points of view and then surely we'd be very proud to have such a summit," Niinistö said.