White House says Trump 'open' to visiting Moscow

The White House on Friday said US President Donald Trump was open to a controversial visit to Moscow, after an apparent invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin."(Trump) has a desire to conduct meetings in the future and I am ready," Putin said, extending the invitation and reiterating his desire to go to Washington.The White House responded with a statement saying "President Trump looks forward to having President Putin to Washington after the first of the year, and he is open to visiting Moscow upon receiving a formal invitation."A summit last week between the pair in Helsinki caused Trump serious domestic problems, with the US president accused of appeasing a man who allegedly tried to tilt the 2016 US presidential election.Even Trump's Republican allies joined in the criticism of the Helsinki sit-down. Senator John McCain accused Trump of "naivete, egotism, false equivalence, and sympathy for autocrats."A US special counsel is currently investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russian spies to manipulate the vote.Trump denies there was any collusion.