ST. PETERSBURG, June 5. /TASS/. Former US President Donald Trump is being persecuted for political reasons, and this fact destroys Washington’s imaginary leadership in the sphere of democracy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"You all know very well what is happening now in the United States. They are burning themselves from the inside, they are destroying their own country and their own political system in the course of internal political struggle. And, whether you like it or not, I should say that they are burning to the ground their imaginary leadership in the sphere of democracy," Putin said at a meeting with heads of international news agencies organized by TASS.
In his words, it is clear for the whole world that Trump’s prosecution without any direct evidence was tantamount to "using the judicial system for domestic political struggle."
"It is clear to us here in Russia. I’m sure it is also clear for people in the United Kingdom and all over the world. And, most importantly, people in the United States also think so," Putin added.
He said that after Trump’s verdict was pronounced, his approval rating immediately rose by 6%, and donations poured in into his campaign headquarters.
"This shows that people of the United States have no trust in the justice system, which makes such decisions. On the contrary, they believe that these decisions were made for political reasons," Putin added.