Donald Trump’s national security adviser is meeting Russia’s defence minister in Moscow just a few days after the US president announced that he intends to pull America out of a landmark nuclear weapons treaty.

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu lauded US National Security Adviser John Bolton over his two-day visit.

Russian news agencies quoted Mr Shoigu as saying that “even small steps will benefit our relations and help restore trust” between the two countries.

John Bolton and Sergey Lavrov
Mr Bolton has already met foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and will later meet Vladimir Putin (AP)

Mr Bolton arrived in Russia on Monday when he met Security Council chairman Nikolai Patrushev.

He is expected to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin later on Tuesday.

Mr Trump over the weekend declared his intention to pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty because he claims Russia has violated it.