ST. PETERSBURG. June 5 (Interfax) - No changes would happen in Washington's policy in relation to Moscow after the presidential elections in the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with editors-in-chief of foreign news agencies.
"Generally speaking, it makes no difference to us [as to who wins the presidential elections in the U.S.]," Putin said.
"To say, and I am saying this quite frankly, that anything would change in the U.S. policy on the Russian track after the elections, I cannot say that. We believe that, essentially, nothing so serious will happen," the Russian president said.
Putin mentioned that former U.S. President Donald Trump was all but accused "of spying for Russia, while they understood that it is utter nonsense, just some drivel, an element of the domestic political struggle between Democrats and Republicans." Accusations against Trump were perceived the same way in the U.S. itself, Putin said.
Putin once again emphasized that "we have never had any particular ties to Mr. Trump." While in office, Trump "started imposing mass sanctions on Russia and withdrew from the INF Treaty," he said.