Vladimir Putin To CNBC: Claims That Russia Meddled In US Elections Are Political “Lies And Provocations”

CNBC reports:

American accusations that Russia interfered in last year’s U.S. elections are “lies” used for “domestic American politics”, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. “We said on numerous occasions and I reiterate that we are confident. And know for sure that opinion polls in the Unites States show that very many people are friendly towards the Russian Federation and I’d like to tell these people that we perceive and regard the United States as a great power with which we want to establish good partnership relations,” Putin said on a CNBC-moderated panel.

“All those things are fictional, illusory and provocations, lies. All these are used for domestic American political agendas. The anti-Russian card is played by different political forces inside the United States to trade on that and consolidate their positions inside.” Putin denied that Russia meddled in the U.S. elections. Putin quoted George Bush Sr., who at the Republican National Convention in 1988 said, “read my lips, no new taxes”. When asked if Russia had interfered, Putin said, “Read my lips, no,” in response.