Russia hopes White House will not release Trump-Putin private calls

Walking over thin-ice of impeachment, now Kremlin has stated that they hope the White House does not release the private conversation between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. 

Questioned if Moscow is worried that the US administration could release a similar transcript of the conversation amid the Ukraine scandal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that "we would like to hope that it wouldn't come to that in our relations, which are already troubled by a lot of problems."

He further added, that is was "quite unusual" to make public the confidential conversations between two leaders, speaking over Trump-Zelenskiy call, that may lead to the US President being ousted from office. 

Robert Mueller had conducted an investigation into Russia's meddling into US 2016 presidential elections from May 2017 to May 2019. Since mid-2016, the investigative officers kept a tab on the activities of Russian operatives and by the presidential campaign members. Nearly 34 individuals and three companies were indicted by the investigators. 

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Donald Trump dismisses Democratic Impeachment inquiry as a 'joke'

Donald Trump on Wednesday dismissed as a "joke" the grounds laid out for the impeachment inquiry into him, as Democrats stood firm in accusing the US president of a "mafia-style shakedown" of his Ukrainian counterpart. Trump denied claims that he abused his office by repeatedly urging President Volodymyr Zelensky to probe his rival Joe Biden -- as confirmed in a call transcript released by the White House. 

The next explosive episode in the rapidly unfolding impeachment drama is set for Thursday when acting director of national intelligence Joseph McGuire testifies on Capitol Hill. "They are getting hit hard on this witch hunt because when they look at the information, it's a joke," said the president, who struck an uncharacteristically subdued tone at his first news conference since Democrats launched an official impeachment inquiry. 

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Trump asks Putin to not 'meddle' in 2020 US elections

Amid serious concerns of election meddling, Donald Trump jokingly told Putin, with a smile on his face, to not meddle in the US Presidential elections of 2020 and made a finger gesture. 

"Don't meddle in the election, please," said the US President, drawing a smile and silence from the Russian President. 

Wider angle shows PUTIN and MIKE POMPEO smiling as TRUMP tells the Russian delegation not to meddle in the 2020 election. pic.twitter.com/D7hAPCqzvG

— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport)

(With AP inputs)