Putin tells Pence no Russians meddled in US election

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President Vladimir Putin denied any Russian involvement when US Vice President Mike Pence asked last week about meddling in the 2016 election, a Kremlin's spokesman said.

Dmitry Peskov told Russian television that Pence had "started the conversation with this subject" in a 10-minute talk with Putin on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Singapore.

"The Americans are constantly repeating election interference as a mantra," Peskov said on a Sunday night talk show on Russian state television.

US Vice President Mike Pence (R) shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) before the start of the 13th East Asia summit plenary session on the sidelines of the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Singapore, November 15, 2018. /VCG Photo‍

"The Russian side... also repeat as a mantra: 'Why don't you understand us, how can we explain to you once again that the Russian state has nothing to do and can have nothing to do with interference in internal affairs or electoral processes'," he said.

"This, by the way, was also said to Pence," Peskov said. "We presume that all of Putin's words will be passed on to the head of the American state."

Putin and Trump are expected to meet during the G20 summit in Argentina late this month.

Source(s): AFP