Putin Criticizes Donald Trump for Leaving Iran Nuclear Deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Iran Nuclear deal in a speech Sunday.

Putin said the United State's withdrawal could "destabilize the region" in the middle east according to the Associated Press and added Russia will continue to honor the deal.

Trump announced the U.S. would leave what he called the "horrible" Iran nuclear accord in May. The agreement, put into place in 2015 under President Barack Obama, lifted international economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for the country to limit its nuclear program. Trump called the deal "defective at its core."

Despite this, Putin also said Sunday he's ready to meet with Trump, "as soon as the U.S. side is ready."

"The U.S. president has repeatedly said that it's reasonable to hold such a meeting," he said. "As soon as the U.S. side is ready, the meeting will take place, depending, of course, on my working schedule."

The comments come after Trump called for Russia to be readmitted into the G-7 summit, a meeting of seven countries with major economies. "Russia should be in this meeting," Trump told reporters before leaving the White House South Lawn for Canada, where the summit is being held. "Why are we having a meeting without Russia being in the meeting?"

"Whether you like it or not, and it may not be politically correct, but we have a world to run," Trump said. "They should let Russia come back in because we should have Russia at the negotiating table."

Trump also added he has been Russia's "worst nightmare." Russia was removed from the summit in 2014 when after it invaded Crimea over its support for pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine. Putin appeared to agree with Trump's view that Russia should be readmitted.

"It wasn't us who left," he said. "Colleagues refused to Russia on well-known grounds."

"I think it would be an asset to have Russia back in."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shut down Trump's push to readmit Russia when he told the president it is "not something that we are even remotely looking at at this time."

The United States and Russia's relationship has remained a big part of Trump's presidency since the 2016 election. A U.S. intelligence report released in 2017 concluded Russia meddled in the 2016 election at the order of Vladimir Putin. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller was appointed in May 2017 to investigate collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

Both Trump and Putin have denied any wrongdoing or collusion. Trump tweeted earlier this month in part, "there was NO Collusion with Russia (except by the Democrats). When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end? So bad for our Country."