Putin’s visit to arms exhibition ahead of talks with Pompeo not a signal for US — Kremlin

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has slammed as a "conspiracy theory" a suggestion that President Vladimir Putin’s plans to inspect new armaments ahead of talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo could be a signal for the US.

"No, this is not so," Peskov said answering a question whether this schedule of the president, who is due to meet with Pompeo on Tuesday, could be a message for the US.

"The president deals with the issues of military and industrial complex twice a year and the goal is to develop military and industrial complex, rather than to send any signals," he explained. "No conspiracy theories should be invented here," Peskov said.

Putin’s meetings on defense issues had been scheduled long before the president had a small gap for a meeting with Pompeo, he noted.