WASHINGTON, October 20. /TASS/. Former US President Donald Trump believes that it’s important to maintain friendly relations with Russia because of the nuclear warheads that the country has, CNN reported, citing journalist Bob Woodward’s new audiobook of Trump’s interviews.

"Getting along with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing, all right? Especially because they have 1,332 nuclear f***ing warheads," the former White House occupant said, as cited by CNN.

The audiobook, titled The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward’s Twenty Interviews with President Trump, is set to be released on October 25.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his September televised address that Washington was pushing Kiev to move military activities to Russia’s territory, and Western countries were also using nuclear blackmail. The head of state explained that it wasn’t just about Western-encouraged shelling attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant but also about statements by some senior officials from leading NATO member states about the possibility and permissibility of using nuclear weapons against Russia. Putin emphasized that Russia would be ready to employ all the means at its disposal to protect its territorial integrity and its people.