Putin denies meddling in US election campaign, slams American policies

DEBKAfile was founded by a team of journalists in June 2000 as an independent Internet Web site, providing an intelligence and security news service. October 27, 2016, 8:14 PM (IDT)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday participated in the closing session of the yearly “Valdai Club” meeting at the Black Sea resort of Sochi. He addressed a series of topics including American accusations that his country is trying to influence the presidential election campaign and that Russia is involved in cyberattacks on the US.
Putin said “The idea that Russia favors a particular candidate in the US election is an invention of Hillary Clinton supporters,” claiming “They took Russia, spread the message that it is America’s enemy and claimed that Russia favors Donald Trump.” Moscow doesn’t know what to expect from either candidate, but statements that bilateral relations should be improved are welcome, he said. The Russian president claimed “Trump’s popularity apparently indicates that the US public is tired of American elites.”
Regarding cyberattacks, Putin said they are “unacceptable” and called for an international agreement on rules and enforcement to prevent cyber crimes and protect freedom of expression on the internet.
As for US foreign policy, Putin alleged that the US has a custom of violating UN Security Council resolutions, attacking sovereign countries like Iraq, Libya and Syria and destroying their ruling systems. He claimed that this was responsible for the emergence of radical terrorist organizations in the Middle East. Russia should not be blamed for the killing of civillians in Aleppo, Putin said, asserting that the the city reached its current situation due to regonal instability.
 

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