The Kremlin on Monday attempted to distance itself from the growing uproar over President Donald Trump's claim that Trump Tower phones were wiretapped under the direction of President Barack Obama.
Tass, the official news agency of the Russian government, quoted Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying to reporters:
"The Kremlin does not want Moscow to be associated with Washington’s internal affairs. It is not right to associate us with the United States' internal affairs. We don't have a wish or an intention to be associated with them."
Peskov's statement came after he was asked if Russian authorities had "any information about Donald Trump being wiretapped during the election campaign."
Over the weekend, Trump lashed out at his predecessor in a series of tweets:
Trump has not supplied any evidence to back up his charge and FBI director James Comey has asked the Justice Department to publicly reject the allegation, The New York Times reported Sunday.
Meanwhile, 65 percent of Americans believe an independent prosecutor should be appointed to handle the investigation into contacts between Russia and campaign associates of Trump, a new CNN/ORC poll reveals.