Meddling claims are ‘spy hysteria,’ Putin says
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that claims that his country meddled in the U.S. presidential election were “spy hysteria.”
Putin made the remarks in his annual news conference, where he touched on a wide range of topics, a number of them involving the U.S.
Putin once again rejected allegations that Russia interfered in the election, saying the “spy hysteria and nonsense” have damaged the American political system.
“It is a globally recognized practice when diplomats, even government officials, meet with all the candidates, their teams to discuss certain issues, development prospects. What is wrong about that?” he said, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
Although Putin said President Trump’s political opponents made up the allegations to undermine him, U.S. intelligence agencies have found that Moscow tried to influence the election in Trump’s favor. The Senate Intelligence Committee is investigating.
“We should make conclusions and go further on rather than turn on each other like beasts,” Putin said.
As for Trump’s performance as president, Putin said that was not up to him to evaluate: “It is his voters, the American people, who should do that.” But he said flourishing markets have demonstrated investors’ confidence in Trump’s economic course.
“We actually see that some serious achievements have been made during the short period of time that has passed since he took office,” Putin said, according to TASS. “Just look at how the markets have gone up. It shows (investors) trust in what President Trump has been doing.”