‘Donald’ told me he’s worried about an arms race claims Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he ‘fully’ agrees with President Donald Trump on the treat of a new arms race with the U.S. – and denied that the oligarch known as ‘Putin’s chef’ could have influenced the 2016 elections.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an interview with the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation where he called Trump by his first name when raising the arms control issue – a topic for a potential Trump-Putin summit. 

‘In a recent telephone conversation, Donald said he was worried about the possibility of a new arms race. I fully agree with him,’ Putin told his interviewer on channel ORF during a visit to Austria, according to a Kremlin transcript.

‘However, to prevent a possible arms race – we did not initiate such a course of events, we did not withdraw from the Anti-Missile Defense Treaty, we merely responded to the threats that arise for us from this, but I agree with the US President – we should think about it, we should do something about it, give corresponding instructions to our Foreign Ministry and the US State Department,’ Putin said.

He called for experts to ‘start working in a concrete way.’ 

But Putin said internal U.S. politics could get in the way of a planned summit with Trump, referencing the congressional elections in November.

‘As for personal meetings, I think that the possibility of these meetings depends to a large extent on the internal political situation in the United States. The congressional election campaign is getting under way and then there will be the next presidential election, and the President of the United States is coming under attack over various matters. I think this is the main reason,’ he said. 

Putin also pushed back on the idea that Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has been indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller and bankrolled a Russian troll farm, could somehow have swayed U.S. elections.

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an interview with the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation where he called Trump by his first name when raising the arms control issue

CALL ME DONALD: ‘In a recent telephone conversation, Donald said he was worried about the possibility of a new arms race. I fully agree with him,’ said Russian President Vladimir Putin

Prigozhin is known as ‘Putin’s chef’ for having hosted the strongman’s meetings with key foreign officials at his restaurants. 

‘You have just said that Mr Prigozhin is referred to as ‘Putin’s chef,’ Putin said. ‘Indeed, he runs a restaurant business, it is his job. He is a restaurant keeper in St Petersburg,’ Putin told his interviewer.

‘But now let me ask you: do you really think that a person who is in the restaurant business, even if this person has some hacking opportunities and owns a private firm engaged in this activity – I do not even know what he does – could use it to sway elections in the United States or a European country?’ Putin asked.

‘Could it be that the media and political standards in the countries of the consolidated West have been driven down to such a low level that a Russian restaurant keeper can sway voters in a European country or the United States? Isn’t it ridiculous?’ Putin asked.

PALACE INTRIGUE: Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) is welcomed by Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen (R), prior to their meeting at the presidential office of the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria 05 June 2018

Putin was told that he knows Prigozhin very well. ‘

‘So what? I know many people in St Petersburg and Moscow. Ask them,’ he responded, before pointing the finger at financier George Soros, who he said ‘interferes in all affairs around the world.’

‘Ask the State Department why he is doing this. The State Department will say that it has nothing to do with them – rather it is Mr Soros’ private affair. With us, it is Mr. Prigozhin’s private affair. This is my answer. Are you satisfied with it?’