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Russian, US presidents may discuss cybersecurity at Helsinki summit — Foreign Ministry

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump may discuss cybercrime and ways of countering terrorism in Syria during the upcoming July 16 summit in Helsinki

UNITED NATIONS, July 3. /TASS/. Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump can discuss cybercrime and ways of countering terrorism in Syria during the upcoming July 16 summit in Helsinki, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for New Challenges and Threats Ilya Rogachev told TASS.

"Yes, probably that will be discussed as a bilateral relations issue rather than hacking in general," he said when asked whether cybercrime will be discussed at the upcoming summit. "As far as I understand, counterterrorism efforts will likewise be discussed precisely with reference to the United States’ actions in Syria."

"They [the United States] believe that we somehow interfered in the election through the unlawful use of information and communications technologies, although they cannot or do not want to explain what they mean," the diplomat added.

The probe into Russia’s alleged attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election and related issue has been conducted by US Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the FBI and committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the US Congress. Trump and his key advisers have repeatedly rejected suspicions of any unlawful contacts with Russian officials during the election campaign. Moscow likewise has denied the accusations of trying to influence the US presidential election.