The outgoing Prime Minister is considering holding clear-the-air talks with the Russian leader at this month’s G20 leaders’ summit in Japan, according to The Times. If given the green-light, the showdown will aim pave the way for Mrs May’s successor, who is expected to be in place before end of July, to have a fresh start with the influential world leader. Britain’s relations with the Kremlin have been strained since the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former colonel in Russian military intelligence, and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury in March 2018.
Mrs May blamed Moscow for the attack, Russia has always denied any involvement.
The fallout saw 23 Russian diplomates removed from the UK – in the biggest expulsion since the height of the Cold War.
Moscow then retaliated by removing British diplomates from Russia.
It is understood a meeting between the two leaders will only take place if there was a clear purpose.
Mrs May last met Mr Putin at the G20 summit in Argentina in November 2018.
The Russian President approached Mrs May informally for brief talks at the gathering of world leaders in Buenos Aires.
Earlier this month at an economic forum in St Petersburg, Mr Putin continued to deny any Russian involvement and called for the two countries to draw a line on the matter.
Mr Putin said: “When all’s said and done we need to turn this page connected with spies and assassination attempts.”
Despite the British Government identifying two Russian agents as the suspects, Mr Putin reversed the blame back onto the UK.
He said: “He’s your agent not ours. That means you spied against us and it’s hard for me to say what happened with him subsequently. We need to forget about all this in the final analysis.”
He added: “Global issues related to common economic, social and security interests are more important than the games played by intelligence agencies.”
The G20 summit in Osaka takes place on June 28 and 29.