- Title: Vladimir Putin says can prove Trump did not pass Russia secrets
- Date: 17th May 2017
- Summary: SOCHI, RUSSIA (MAY 17, 2017) (RUSSIAN POOL) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, PAOLO GENTILONI, ARRIVING FOR SIGNING CEREMONY AND NEWS CONFERENCE OFFICIALS AND MEDIA IN ROOM ROSNEFT CEO IGOR SECHIN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR PIETRO FIORENTINI S.P.A PAOLO NARDI, SHAKING HANDS, SEATING DOWN, SIGNING COOPERATION AGREEMENT, SHAKING HANDS, EXCHANGING SIGNED COPIES, LEAVING WIDE OF HALL REPORTER ASKING QUESTION PUTIN LISTENING, SMILING WIDE OF HALL GENTILONI LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "As for the results of the Russian Foreign Minister's Lavrov visit to the United States and his meeting with President Trump (CONTINUES OVER WIDE SHOT)... we think his visit was successful, it was the first visit, it was a return visit (CONTINUES OVER SHOT OF LAVROV) of our foreign minister after we've received the (U.S.) Secretary of State (Rex) Tillerson in Moscow. (CONTINUES OVER SHOT OF HIMSELF AND GENTILONI) It is common, natural international practice, but at the same we see that (CONTINUES OVER MEDIUM SHOT) political schizophrenia is developing in the United States and I cannot find any other explanation to accusations that he (U.S. President Donald Trump) had revealed some secrets to Lavrov." PUTIN AND GENTILONI AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "I'll be forced to issue him with a reprimand because he did not share these secrets with us. (CONTINUES OVER SHOT OF LAVROV AND OTHER RUSSIAN OFFICIALS LAUGHING) Neither with me, nor with representatives of Russia's intelligence services. (CONTINUES OVER SHOT OF HIMSELF AND GENTILONI AT NEWS CONFERENCE) It was very bad of him. (CONTINUES OVER SHOT OF PEOPLE LAUGHING) "Moreover, if the United States administration finds it possible (CONTINUES OVER WIDE SHOT OF HALL) we are ready to provide recording of Trump-Lavrov talks (CONTINUES IN SHOT) to the U.S. Congress and Senate. Of course if the U.S. administration wants it." OFFICIALS AND MEDIA LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "At first as we looked at how the internal political process in the U.S. is developing we found it funny, but today it is not just sad, it worries us, because (CONTINUES OVER SHOT OF HIMSELF AND GENTILONI) it's hard to imagine what else can these people who generate such nonsense and rubbish can dream up next. (CONTINUES IN FRAME) All of that has been done on the basis of incitement of the anti-Russian sentiment. What surprises me is that they are shaking up the domestic political situation in the United States using anti-Russian slogans. Either they don't understand the damage they're doing to their own country, in which case they are simply stupid, or they understand everything, in which case they are dangerous and corrupt people." OFFICIALS AND MEDIA LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "This is an internal U.S. issue and we were not going to interfere and we will not. As for the assessment of President Trump's work - this is none of our business as well, the American people and voters should make those assessments. But of course, it will be possible to do only when he is allowed to work at his full capability." PUTIN AND GENTILONI AT NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA LAVROV LISTENING WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 31st May 2017 13:06
- Keywords: Gentiloni Vladimir Putin Sochi Italy Russia
- Location: SOCHI, RUSSIA
- City: SOCHI, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016H87ZNR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday (May 17) that U.S. President Donald Trump had not passed on any secrets to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a meeting in Washington last week and that he could prove it.
Speaking at a news conference alongside Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Putin quipped that Lavrov was remiss for not passing on what he made clear he believed were non-existent secrets.
"I spoke to him (Lavrov) today," said Putin with a smile. "I'll be forced to issue him with a reprimand because he did not share these secrets with us. Neither with me, nor with representatives of Russia's intelligence services. It was very bad of him."
Putin, who said Moscow rated Lavrov's meeting with Trump "highly," said Russia was ready to hand a transcript of Trump's meeting with Lavrov over to U.S. lawmakers if that would help reassure them.
A Kremlin aide, Yuri Ushakov, later told reporters that Moscow had in its possession a written record of the conversation, not an audio recording.
Complaining about what he said were signs of "political schizophrenia" in the United States, Putin said Trump was not being allowed to do his job properly.
"It's hard to imagine what else can these people who generate such nonsense and rubbish can dream up next," said Putin.
"What surprises me is that they are shaking up the domestic political situation in the United States using anti-Russian slogans. Either they don't understand the damage they're doing to their own country, in which case they are simply stupid, or they understand everything, in which case they are dangerous and corrupt."
Two U.S. officials said on Monday that Trump had disclosed highly classified information to Lavrov about a planned Islamic State operation, plunging the White House into another controversy just months into Trump's short tenure in office.
Russia has repeatedly said that anti-Russian politicians in the United States are using groundless fears of closer ties with Moscow to sabotage any rapprochement and damage Trump in the process. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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