US senators hope to meet Putin during their visit to Russia

A group of Republican U.S. Senators is heading to Russia at the end of the week as part of new ”high-level" talks between the two countries, including a potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Senator Richard Shelby (Alabama) said that he's invited Senators Steve Daines (Montana), John Thune (South Dakota), John Neely Kennedy (Louisiana), Jerry Moran (Kansas), John Hoeven (North Dakota) and Rep. Kay Granger (Texas) to take part in the congressional delegation. 

Shelby said the group would be taking part in "high-level meetings" but signaled that they are still locking down with whom they will be meeting. 

"I'm sure we'll have some high-level meetings. ...[Russia] at times can be an adversary. But they're somebody that I think, just like China and others, that we should be talking to. See if there's any common ground," the Hill cited Shelby as saying.

Asked about a potential face-to-face with Putin, Kennedy said they are "trying to set it up" but wasn't sure it would happen.