In this June 27, 2018 photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. National security adviser John Bolton greet each other as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, center, looks at them during the meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. . President Donald Trump is repeating his denials of any Russian election interference as details are released on his upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House and the Kremlin announced Thursday that the two leaders would meet in Helsinki on July 16. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)
In this June 27, 2018 photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. National security adviser John Bolton greet each other as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, center, looks at them during the meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. . President Donald Trump is repeating his denials of any Russian election interference as details are released on his upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House and the Kremlin announced Thursday that the two leaders would meet in Helsinki on July 16. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool) Credit: Alexander Zemlianichenko

Washington — President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland next month comes after what likely will be a tense gathering with NATO allies and follows Trump’s repeated calls to improve relations with Russia.

The White House and the Kremlin announced on Thursday that the two leaders would meet on July 16 in Helsinki, with the White House saying they will “discuss relations between the United States and Russia and a range of national security issues.”

Trump expressed enthusiasm for the sit-down on Wednesday.

“I’ve said it from day one, getting along with Russia and with China and with everybody is a very good thing,” Trump said. “It’s good for the world, it’s good for us, it’s good for everybody.” He said they would discuss Syria, Ukraine and “many other subjects.”

Earlier this month, Trump called for Russia to be reinstated in the Group of Seven industrialized democracies.

Russia was ousted from the elite group in 2014 as punishment for Putin’s annexation of Crimea and its support for pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

In the U.S., special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia in a bid to sway the 2016 presidential election in his favor.

Ahead of the Finland summit announcement, Trump tweeted, “Russia continues to say they had nothing to do with Meddling in our Election!”

Trump has continually parroted the Kremlin’s denial of election interference, a move that has put him out of step with the findings of the U.S. intelligence community, a bipartisan consensus in Congress and Trump’s own appointees who say there is clear evidence of Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential campaign.