Putin: Obama Started Doubting Alleged Russian Vote Meddling After Conversation

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said that former US President Barack Obama changed his position on the alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election after two had a talk.

"We have talked about it with former president Obama and with several other officials. No one ever showed me any direct evidence. When we spoke with President Obama about that, you know, you should probably better ask him about it – I think he will tell you that he, too, is confident of it. But when he and I talked I saw that he, too, started having doubts. At any rate, that's how I saw it," Putin said in an interview with NBC News anchor Megyn Kelly.

The president added that today's technology was such that the final address could be masked and camouflaged to an extent that no one would be able to understand the origin of that address.

"And, vice versa, it is possible to set up any entity or any individual that everyone will think that they are the exact source of that attack. Modern technology is very sophisticated and subtle and allows this to be done. And when we realize that we will get rid of all the illusions. That's one thing. The other thing is that I am deeply convinced that no interference from the outside, in any country, even a small one, let alone in such a vast and great power as the United States, can influence the final outcome of the elections. It is not possible. Ever," Putin said.

"The Constitution of the United States and the electoral legislation are structured in such a way that more electors can vote for a candidate who is backed by fewer voters. And such situations do occur in the history of the United States. True, isn't it? Therefore, if we were to discuss some kind of political and social justice, then probably that electoral legislation needs to be changed and bring a situation where the head of state would be elected by direct secret ballot and so there will be direct tabulation of votes that can be easily monitored. That's all there is to it," Putin said.

"And there will be no need for those who have lost the elections to point fingers and blame their troubles on anybody," the president said.

Concerns over Russia's potential interference into foreign states' elections have recently been raised in several countries. The issue traces back to the recent US presidential campaign, when Washington repeatedly accused Russia of meddling in the election and alleged hacking attempts.

Russian officials have repeatedly denied charges of interfering in the US elections, saying the allegations are absurd and represent an attempt to divert the US public’s attention from revealed instances of corruption as well as other pressing domestic issues. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that there was no proof that Russia was involved in the election process of the United States, Germany, France, or the United Kingdom.