Trump, Putin speak on the phone for the second time in a week

US intelligence thwarted an Islamic State attack in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

(Image credit: iStock)

published 18 December 2017

President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone Sunday, marking the second time in a week that the leaders have reached out to exchange praise, AFP reports. The weekend call involved the Kremlin thanking the CIA for intelligence that prevented an Islamic State terrorist attack at the Kazan Cathedral, one of the most famous buildings in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

"No Russian lives were lost and the terrorist attackers were caught and are now incarcerated," the White House wrote. "President Trump appreciated the call and told President Putin that he and the entire United States intelligence community were pleased to have helped save so many lives."

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, also commented publicly: "There are certain sporadic contacts between our security services but in this particular instance this [was] rather useful information that helped save a lot of lives," he said.

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Last week, Trump reached out to Putin to thank him for praising America's "strong economic performance," and briefly discussed tensions with North Korea, Politico reports.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.