Putin Offers Transcript to Prove Trump Did Not Pass Russia Secrets

Putin Offers Transcript to Prove Trump Did Not Pass Russia Secrets
Russian President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister following their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on May 17, 2017. YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images
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SOCHI/MOSCOW—Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump had not divulged any secrets during a meeting in Washington with Russian officials and offered to prove it by supplying Congress with a transcript.

But a leading U.S. Republican politician said he would have little faith in any notes Putin might supply.

Two U.S. officials said on Monday Trump had disclosed classified information about a planned ISIS operation to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov when they met last week, plunging the White House into a fresh controversy just four months into Trump’s tenure.

Trump has defended his decision to discuss intelligence with the Russians after media reports of the meeting alarmed some U.S. and foreign politicians.

President Putin deployed his trademark sarcasm on Wednesday to make clear he thought the accusation that Trump had divulged secrets absurd.

“I spoke to him (Lavrov) today,” a smiling Putin told a news conference with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister following their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on May 17, 2017. (YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister following their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi on May 17, 2017. YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images