Putin-Trump meeting program coordinated - Russian presidential aide

MOSCOW. Aug 14 (Interfax) - Preparations for a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump have entered the final stage and the meeting program has been coordinated, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said.

"Preparations for the meeting of the presidents of Russia and the United States have entered the final stage," Ushakov told journalists.

"Given that the meeting was announced only five days ago, i.e. in the small hours of Saturday, everything is being done in an intensive manner, and lots of technical issues, including visas, are being addressed, while, clearly, the political component of the summit is being actively worked on in the first turn," he said.

"The program of the leaders' meeting has been coordinated," Ushakov said.

The Russian-U.S. talks in Alaska are scheduled to start at around 11:30 a.m. local time on Friday with a one-on-one meeting between Putin and Trump and will then continue in the presence of the two countries' delegations, Ushakov said.

"Everything is expected to start at around 11:30 a.m. local time tomorrow, August 15, with a conversation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump," Ushakov told journalists.

"It will be a one-on-one meeting, naturally interpreters will be present at it," he said.

"Talks will then take place in the presence of the delegations, and these talks will continue over a working lunch," Ushakov said.

The duration of the meeting of Putin and Trump will depend on the presidents' willingness, Ushakov said.

"The duration [of the meeting] will depend on how the discussion goes. Of course, there is a certain timeframe, but as I have told you when the negotiations start and when they end will depend on the presidents in the first turn," Ushakov said.

Reporters asked Ushakov about the mood of the Russian delegation going to the talks and the Kremlin's expectations ahead of the meeting.

The Russian-U.S. talks in Alaska will be businesslike, Ushakov said.

"The negotiations will be businesslike and, naturally, we, everyone has a businesslike attitude above all," Ushakov said.

Putin and Trump will discuss the further development of bilateral cooperation, including trade and economic issues, Ushakov said.

"They are expected to exchange views on the further development of bilateral cooperation, including in the economy and trade," Ushakov told journalists.

"This cooperation has huge potential, which, unfortunately, has not been put to use thus far," he said.

"After completing the negotiations, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will give a joint press conference to sum up results of their negotiations," Ushakov told journalists.

The Kremlin also announced the composition of the Russian delegation to the summit in Alaska: the delegation includes Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, presidential aide Yury Ushakov , Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Special Presidential Representative for Investments and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries Kirill Dmitriev.

"The composition has been determined. Given that rather important issues of a sensitive nature will be discussed, the circle of talks participants, Russian delegation members, is not broad," Ushakov told journalists.

As to when the Russian delegation is due to return from the United States, Ushakov said, "The delegation will come back. Obviously, it will depart as soon as the negotiations are over."