At a meeting of US and Russian foreign ministers, Mike Pompeo warned the Russian government not to meddle in US elections. Pompeo said after talking to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Washington, "I have been clear on the issue of interference in our internal affairs: it is unacceptable." The Government of President Donald Trump "will always work to protect the integrity of our elections, period, should Russia or any foreign actor take steps that undermine our democratic processes, we will take action in return."
US security agencies are convinced that Russia has tried to influence the 2016 election - which trumped Trump. FBI Special Envoy Robert Mueller's report this spring states: "The Russian government has intervened in a comprehensive and systematic manner in the 2016 presidential elections."
Russia denies interference in 2016
Lavrov again rejected the allegations. "We have not seen any evidence to prove it," he said. Probably such evidence was not submitted to Moscow "because they do not exist".
Pompeo and Lavrov made it clear at a joint press conference that both the US and Russia were seeking better bilateral relations, but there were many points of conflict. "Of course our bilateral relations are complicated," said Pompeo. One will continue the dialogue.
After meeting Pompeo, Lavrov was to be received by President Trump at the White House. FBI investigator Mueller had also investigated whether there had been collusion between the Trump camp and Russia in the 2016 election campaign. He had found no evidence for that.
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