Trump Congratulates Vladimir Putin On Being Reelected

CNBC reports:

President Donald Trump spoke to Vladimir Putin over the phone Tuesday morning, after the Russian leader’s overwhelming re-election victory, NBC News reported, citing a White House official.

The win keeps Putin in office as Russia’s president for another six years. His closest rival in the election, which was held Sunday, scored nearly 12 percent of the vote, while his most vocal opponent, Alexei Navalny, was barred from running in the race.

The call between Trump and Putin also comes as the special counsel’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election intensifies. Trump has denied that his campaign colluded with Russia, and Putin has rejected accusations that the Kremlin had anything to do with any election interference.

MOSCOW (AP) _ Kremlin: Trump has called Russian President Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on re-election.

— Ken Thomas (@KThomasDC) March 20, 2018