US President Donald Trump, facing criticism that he failed to hold Russian leader Vladimir Putin to account at their Helsinki summit, claimed on Wednesday that no president has been as “tough” on Russia as he has.

“We’re doing very well, probably as well as anybody has ever done with Russia,” Trump said at a cabinet meeting at the White House.

“Look at what we’ve done. Look at sanctions,” he said.  “And I think President Putin knows that better than anybody. Certainly a lot better than the media.

“He understands it, and he’s not happy about it,” Trump said. “And he shouldn’t be happy about it because there’s never been a president as tough on Russia as I have been.”

Source: AFP