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| Trump-Putin summit: US president under fire over poll meddling comments | Trump-Putin summit: US president under fire over poll meddling comments |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| There has been a barrage of criticism in the US after President Donald Trump defended Russia over claims of interference in the 2016 elections. | There has been a barrage of criticism in the US after President Donald Trump defended Russia over claims of interference in the 2016 elections. |
| At a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland, Mr Trump contradicted US intelligence agencies, saying Russia had no reason to meddle. | At a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland, Mr Trump contradicted US intelligence agencies, saying Russia had no reason to meddle. |
| The top Republican in Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan, said Mr Trump must see that "Russia is not our ally". | The top Republican in Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan, said Mr Trump must see that "Russia is not our ally". |
| The president's own intelligence chief publicly broke with him. | The president's own intelligence chief publicly broke with him. |
| Russia is responsible for "ongoing, pervasive attempts" to undermine US democracy, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said in a statement. | Russia is responsible for "ongoing, pervasive attempts" to undermine US democracy, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said in a statement. |
| Mr Putin denied the claim. | Mr Putin denied the claim. |
| On Monday the US and Russian presidents held nearly two hours of one-on-one talks without their advisers in the Finnish capital Helsinki . | |
| What did President Trump say? | What did President Trump say? |
| At a news conference after the summit, he was asked if he believed his own intelligence agencies or the Russian president when it came to allegations of meddling in the election. | At a news conference after the summit, he was asked if he believed his own intelligence agencies or the Russian president when it came to allegations of meddling in the election. |
| "President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be," he replied. | "President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be," he replied. |
| Mr Trump also blamed poor relations with Russia on past US administrations rather than Russian actions. | Mr Trump also blamed poor relations with Russia on past US administrations rather than Russian actions. |
| US intelligence agencies concluded in 2016 that Russia was behind an effort to tip the scale of the US election against Hillary Clinton, with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks and fake news stories planted on social media. | US intelligence agencies concluded in 2016 that Russia was behind an effort to tip the scale of the US election against Hillary Clinton, with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks and fake news stories planted on social media. |
| Mr Trump later backtracked, tweeting that he had "great confidence in my intelligence people". | Mr Trump later backtracked, tweeting that he had "great confidence in my intelligence people". |
| How did it play at home? | How did it play at home? |
| Badly. In a strongly worded statement, Mr Ryan said: "There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. | Badly. In a strongly worded statement, Mr Ryan said: "There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. |
| He added that there was "no question" Moscow had interfered in the 2016 election. | He added that there was "no question" Moscow had interfered in the 2016 election. |
| Senator John McCain, a key member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said it was a "disgraceful performance". | Senator John McCain, a key member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said it was a "disgraceful performance". |
| "No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant," Mr McCain said in a statement. | "No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant," Mr McCain said in a statement. |
| Another senior Republican, Sen Lindsey Graham, also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, tweeted that it was a "missed opportunity... to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling". | Another senior Republican, Sen Lindsey Graham, also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, tweeted that it was a "missed opportunity... to firmly hold Russia accountable for 2016 meddling". |
| In a series of tweets, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump's actions had "strengthened our adversaries while weakening our defences and those of our allies". | In a series of tweets, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump's actions had "strengthened our adversaries while weakening our defences and those of our allies". |
| Former CIA director John Brennan said Mr Trump's news conference "was nothing short of treasonous". | Former CIA director John Brennan said Mr Trump's news conference "was nothing short of treasonous". |
| "Not only were Trump's comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???" he tweeted. | "Not only were Trump's comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???" he tweeted. |
| Meanwhile, Vice-President Mike Pence defended the summit and praised President Trump. | Meanwhile, Vice-President Mike Pence defended the summit and praised President Trump. |
| Some US politicians had called for the summit to be cancelled after 12 Russian military intelligence agents were indicted last week, accused of hacking Hillary Clinton's election campaign. | Some US politicians had called for the summit to be cancelled after 12 Russian military intelligence agents were indicted last week, accused of hacking Hillary Clinton's election campaign. |
| What did President Putin say? | What did President Putin say? |
| Speaking at the joint news conference, President Putin offered to allow US investigators to visit Russia to question the officers. | Speaking at the joint news conference, President Putin offered to allow US investigators to visit Russia to question the officers. |
| He made it clear that, in return, Russia would want similar access to people in the US it suspects of criminal activity. | He made it clear that, in return, Russia would want similar access to people in the US it suspects of criminal activity. |
| In a later interview with Fox News, Mr Putin said it was "utterly ridiculous" that some people thought Russia could have influenced the US elections. | In a later interview with Fox News, Mr Putin said it was "utterly ridiculous" that some people thought Russia could have influenced the US elections. |
| He said US-Russian relations should not be "held hostage" to an internal political struggle in America. | He said US-Russian relations should not be "held hostage" to an internal political struggle in America. |
| And Mr Putin accused the UK of making "ungrounded accusations" against Moscow over the recent poisoning of ex-Soviet spy Sergei Skripal and three other people with the "novichok" nerve agent. | And Mr Putin accused the UK of making "ungrounded accusations" against Moscow over the recent poisoning of ex-Soviet spy Sergei Skripal and three other people with the "novichok" nerve agent. |
| One of those people has since died. | One of those people has since died. |
| Referring to the Skripal case, Mr Putin said: "We would like to get at least some sort of a document, evidence about it. But nobody gives it to us. | Referring to the Skripal case, Mr Putin said: "We would like to get at least some sort of a document, evidence about it. But nobody gives it to us. |
| "It's the same thing as the accusations with meddling into the election process in America," the Russian president said. | "It's the same thing as the accusations with meddling into the election process in America," the Russian president said. |
| After Helsinki, the fallout at home | After Helsinki, the fallout at home |
| Analysis by BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher | Analysis by BBC North America reporter Anthony Zurcher |
| With no tangible results from the summit, the two leaders are framing this as the first of many meetings to come | With no tangible results from the summit, the two leaders are framing this as the first of many meetings to come |
| Given the American reaction from across the political spectrum, however, future meetings may be difficult to pull off. | Given the American reaction from across the political spectrum, however, future meetings may be difficult to pull off. |
| After a week abroad, Mr Trump on Monday delivered the coup de grace for what has been a highly disruptive week in US foreign affairs. | After a week abroad, Mr Trump on Monday delivered the coup de grace for what has been a highly disruptive week in US foreign affairs. |
| European allies are uneasy. US-Russia relations are uncertain. And the US political world - and even the White House's own communications team - is unsettled. | European allies are uneasy. US-Russia relations are uncertain. And the US political world - and even the White House's own communications team - is unsettled. |
| Mr Putin described the Helsinki meeting as "candid and useful" while Mr Trump said there had been "deeply productive dialogue". | Mr Putin described the Helsinki meeting as "candid and useful" while Mr Trump said there had been "deeply productive dialogue". |
| Mr Trump said US-Russia relations had "never been worse" than before they met, but that had now changed. | Mr Trump said US-Russia relations had "never been worse" than before they met, but that had now changed. |
| Relations between Russia and the West were severely strained by Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and Russia's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. | Relations between Russia and the West were severely strained by Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and Russia's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. |