Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly denied interfering with the United States 2016 presidential election.
According to Daily Mail, while speaking at a forum for Arctic issues in Archangelsk, Putin was asked point-blank if Russia had any involvement with the 2016 presidential election in the United States, and if any evidence would be found.
“Watch my lips, no,” Putin responded.
“All those things are fictional, illusory and provocations, lies,” Putin continued. “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 went on to deliver a message to the American people.
“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.
Putin added that he is ready to meet with President Trump if Finland hosts an Arctic summit. Finland will soon be taking over the rotating leadership of the Arctic Council, the Daily Mail reported.
The U.S. intelligence community has previously concluded that Russia may have interfered in the 2016 presidential race by hacking the Democratic party. The Senate Intelligence committee began their probe on March 29. They are investigating whether Donald Trump associates were in contact with Russia during the election, and whether or not Russia did interfere.
“There was a very serious effort made by Mr. Putin and his government, his organization, to interfere in major ways with our basic fundamental democratic process,” Former Vice President Dick Cheney said while speaking at a conference in New Delhi on march 29. “In some quarters, that would be considered an act of war.”
House Speaker Paul Ryan also spoke on the allegations in an interview with CBS News.
“We all knew Russia was trying to meddle with our election. And we already know right now they’re trying to do it with other countries,” Ryan said during the interview. “The world’s super power, the American government needs to do everything we possibly can not only to undercut what they’re trying to do but to uncover what they’re trying to do and help our allies prevent it from happening.”