Kremlin Denies Trump, Putin Spoke 7 Times Since 2021

The Kremlin on Wednesday denied a claim in a new book that Republican candidate Donald Trump may have spoken to President Vladimir Putin seven times since he left the White House.
“No, that is not the case,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Russian media outlet RBC as saying when asked about the specific claim.
The book “War” by famed reporter Bob Woodward said Trump retains a personal relationship with Putin even as he campaigns for another term.
Woodward cited an unnamed Trump aide who indicated the two may have spoken up to seven times since 2021 — despite the U.S. effort to help Ukraine resist Russia’s full-scale assault.
In excerpts from the book published Tuesday by The Washington Post, Woodward reported that Trump while still president secretly sent Covid test kits to Putin despite a U.S. shortage during the pandemic.
Russia on Wednesday also criticized Democratic White House hopeful Kamala Harris’s comments about Putin, saying they revealed “anger and frustration” in Washington.
In an interview broadcast Monday, Harris said that, if elected president, she would not meet with Putin for peace talks if Ukraine was not also represented.
She also reiterated her criticism of Trump’s policies on Ukraine, describing them as “surrender” to Moscow.
“Donald Trump, if he were president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now,” she told CBS’s “60 Minutes” program.
The Russian embassy to Washington in a post on social media criticized Harris’s “recent unacceptable statements,” without clarifying which ones.
It said Harris’s comments showed “frustration and impotence of the ruling circles in Washington.”
“Due to their inability of dealing with the Russian Federation and inflicting a ‘strategic defeat,’ their speech apparatus channels anger and offensive rhetoric,” it said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.