Giuliani cancels plan to join Putin as paid guest at Kremlin-sponsored event next week: report

On Friday, the Washington Postreported that Rudy Giuliani was scheduled to make a paid appearance at a pro-Kremlin event in Armenia, sponsored by Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union — where he will appear alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

According to the report, Giuliani would "participate in a panel led by Sergey Glazyev, a longtime Putin adviser who has been under U.S. sanctions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine five years ago." He was to be the only American participating in the conference.

Asked about the propriety of attending this event, Giuliani reacted with scorn. "I will try to not knowingly talk to a Russian until this is all over," he told the Post. He also refused to confirm how much he was being paid or who was paying him, but said that "It goes to my company."

But faced with immediate backlash over the report, Giuliani soon changed his mind and canceled, texting "not going" to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman.

The Eurasian Economic Union is a Moscow-based organization designed to be a counterweight to the power of the European Union.

This comes just as Giuliani is making the rounds on national television running interference for President Donald Trump on the scandal involving his attempts to strong-arm the president of Ukraine — a country militarily threatened by Russia.