White House: Russia call for Ukraine referendum illegitimate

The White House said today it "is not considering supporting" a Vladimir Putin-backed call for a referendum in eastern Ukraine in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's meeting with the Russian president.

Russia's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, earlier revealed that the two leaders had discussed the possibility of a referendum on separatist-leaning eastern Ukraine's future during their Helsinki summit.

National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis said agreements between Russia and the Ukrainian government for resolving the conflict in the Donbas region "do not include any option for referendum". He added any effort to organise a "so-called referendum" would have "no legitimacy".

The White House announcement comes as it laid out the agenda for an autumn summit between Trump and Putin in Washington that would focus on national security. Moscow signalled openness to a second formal meeting between the two leaders, as criticism of Trump over his first session with his Russian counterpart continued to swirl.

A White House official said the next Trump-Putin meeting would address national security concerns discussed in Helsinki, including Russian meddling. The official did not specify if that meant Russia's interference in US elections. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning, said the talks would also cover nuclear proliferation, North Korea, Iran and Syria.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at the United Nations he was "happy that the two leaders of two very important countries are continuing to meet. If that meeting takes place in Washington, I think it is all to the good. Those conversations are incredibly important."
In Moscow, Antonov said it is important to "deal with the results" of their first summit before jumping too fast into a new one. But he said, "Russia was always open to such proposals. We are ready for discussions on this subject."
Asked about the Putin invitation, Alaska Republican Senator Dan Sullivan said, "I wouldn't do it, that's for damn sure."
"If the Russians want a better relationship, trips to the White House aren't going to help," he added. "They should stop invading their neighbours."
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi yesterday urged House Speaker Paul Ryan to make it clear that Putin won't be invited to address Congress if he comes to Washington. She said Trump's "frightened fawning over Putin is an embarrassment and a grave threat to our democracy."