Russia says no doubt US will meddle in 2018 presidential elections

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov made the remark on Wednesday during an interview with Japanese and Chinese journalists.
 
    “We are used to American interference, we live with it. It’s the same as wire-tapping by US secret services. Someone who doesn’t assume it, is an absolutely naive person living on a different planet,” he said.
 
He added that there is “no doubt” that Washington will try to interfere with next year’s presidential elections in his country.
 
In relation to claims of Russia interfering with the 2016 US presidential elections, Ryabkov stressed that no evidence has been presented to support the allegations, which he described as "mythical."
 
    Those accused of having “Russian contacts never participated in neither the Democrats’ nor the Republicans’ election campaigns.”
 
There have been claims that Russia attempted to sway the election in favor of US President Donald Trump by hacking computers belonging to his rival’s campaign and dumping potentially compromising information online.
 
Russia has consistently denied the accusations of meddling. 
 
He went on to stress that the two powers are not involved in “a new Cold War” as “there is no confrontation of systems or ideologies.”
 
Ryabkov also noted that despite the present poor Russia-US relations, there is a chance “for certain improvement” under Washington’s current administration, and expressed hope that.
 
“I don’t think such confrontation is possible in the new environment. After all, the experience of the past years and decades, I hope, has taught both us and our colleagues in Washington to responsibly approach such issues,” he said.
 
    “Unfortunately, there are increasing attempts by the United States to dictate its will in relations with Russia and to make our country change its political course, also with the use of banned methods,” Ryabkov added.