President Donald Trump said he is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very soon” following reports surrounding the death of a worker at an anti-plague research institute in Siberia.
The incident has prompted U.S. officials to seek greater transparency from Moscow while health authorities assess whether pneumonic plague was involved. Russia has said no plague case has been confirmed and has sought to play down concerns surrounding the incident.
Trump has also said the United States is willing to assist Russia if needed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is monitoring the situation and wants additional information before drawing conclusions.
For markets, the scheduled Trump-Putin conversation is notable beyond the immediate health issue because direct contact between the two leaders comes amid continuing tensions over Ukraine, sanctions and Russian energy exports.
There is no indication yet that those broader issues will be part of the call.