US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said before a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing that President Donald Trump believes that Russia should be part of discussions affecting global foreign policy issues, reported Reuters.

Pompeo said, however, that Trump would emphasize during any meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russian meddling in US elections was unacceptable.

And asked whether Russia should be part of the G7 group of most industrialized nations, Pompeo said Trump should speak for himself, adding, “The president deeply believes that having Russia be part of these important geostrategic conversations is inevitable.”