The Kremlin has addressed claims Donald Trump despatched COVID testing machines to Vladimir Putin through the pandemic.
The former US president despatched the machines to the Russian chief for “his private use” because the virus started to unfold in 2020, the veteran US journalist Bob Woodward claims in his guide Warfare, in keeping with US media.
Within the guide, it was claimed Mr Putin advised Mr Trump to not inform anybody else as a result of folks could be indignant, however he mentioned he didn’t care if anybody knew. The guide mentioned Mr Trump ultimately agreed to not inform anybody.
He additionally quoted an unnamed aide to Mr Trump as saying he and Mr Putin might have spoken as many as seven occasions since Mr Trump left the White Home in 2021.
Requested in regards to the claims, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned: “As for the calls, that’s a lie.
“There have been no calls, and they didn’t maintain telephone calls after Trump ceased to be president.”
However he added: “As for the checks, when the pandemic started, international locations didn’t have sufficient tools.
“And lots of international locations then exchanged such gestures of assist and despatched one another shipments of varied tools that they had.”
Earlier stories mentioned Mr Trump’s administration despatched ventilators and different tools to Russia and likewise acquired medical tools.
“We despatched a batch of synthetic respiration gadgets, and several other take a look at gadgets got here from America,” Mr Peskov mentioned.
“The primary testers labored very poorly.”
He added: “It was a standard follow at the moment to alternate such assist.”
Talking to CBS, Mr Woodward mentioned the checks had been treasured property at a time when COVID was “operating wild” worldwide.
Learn extra:
How a lot can we belief the US election polls?
Trump v Harris: How their data examine
US election: What occurs on the evening?
Trump marketing campaign dismisses claims
Mr Trump’s marketing campaign has dismissed the claims in Mr Woodward’s guide, saying: “None of those made-up tales by Bob Woodward are true.”
Requested why checks had been despatched to Russia through the pandemic, Vice President Kamala Harris advised the Howard Stern present: “Everyone was scrambling to get these kits, these COVID take a look at kits, and this man, who’s president of america, is sending them to Russia, this murderous dictator, for his private use?”
Joe Biden’s administration would have critical considerations if the stories Mr Trump spoke with Mr Putin had been correct, White Home spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned.
She mentioned she couldn’t affirm whether or not the calls happened.