Donald Trump in talks with Russia over 'creating cyber security group'
US President previously discussed forming ‘an impenetrable cyber security unit’ with Vladimir Putin
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Moscow and Washington are in talks to create a joint cyber security working group, a Russian news agency has reported.
In its report, RIA news agency cited Russia’s special envoy on cyber security, Andrey Krutskikh.
“Different proposals are being exchanged and are being studied, nobody is avoiding the need for negotiations and contacts,” Mr Krutskikh said, according to the agency.
“There is no need to overdramatise the working process, it is underway without doubts, it is difficult taking into account the US realities, but this is more of the issue of the US administration, not ours.”
Last week, Russia said Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had discussed forming a group on cyber security.
After their meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Mr Trump tweeted: “Putin and I discussed forming an impenetrable cyber security unit so that election hacking, and many other negative things, will be guarded and safe.”
But faced with widespread criticism from both the Democrats and some Republicans, he appeared to row back on his claim.
He tweeted: “The fact that President Putin and I discussed a cyber security unit doesn’t mean I think it can happen.”
Referring to the Syrian civil war, he added: “It can’t – but a ceasefire can, and did!”
During the two-and-a-half-hour conversation between the two presidents at the G20 summit, Mr Trump reportedly took Mr Putin’s word that Russian operatives had not carried out what multiple US intelligence agencies described as a “campaign of influence” last year.
Mr Trump said: “He vehemently denied it.”
After the meeting, Mr Putin said Mr Trump “seemed satisfied with the answers” about meddling in the election.
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