(Reuters) — The Kremlin said on Wednesday (February 15) an American media report, which said members of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign had contacts with Russian intelligence officials, was not based on any facts.
The New York Times, citing four current and former U.S. officials, reported on Tuesday (February 14) that phone records and intercepted calls show that members of Trump’s campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election.
“Let’s not believe newspaper reports. Nowadays it is difficult to separate the real (news) from the fake,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters, noting that the newspaper’s sources were unnamed.
“This is purely a newspaper report which is not based on any facts.”
Peskov, responding to reports it had violated a treaty with the United States by deploying a new ground-based missile, also said Russia is committed to honouring its international obligations.
“Russia, without a doubt, has been and remains committed to its international obligations, including the framework of the treaty you have mentioned,” Peskov said.
“Nobody has formally accused Russia of violating the INF (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces) treaty,” he added.
On Tuesday, media reported, citing U.S. officials, that Russia had deployed a ground-launched cruise missile despite U.S. complaints that this violated an arms control treaty banning ground-based U.S. and Russian intermediate-range missiles.
Peskov, responding to a White House statement saying Trump expected Russia to return Crimea to Ukraine, also said the Kremlin had no intention of discussing its territorial integrity with foreign partners.
