>> IN OUR INTERVIEW, VLADIMIR PUTIN CONTINUED TO DENY
THAT THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT
INTERFERED IN THE U.S. ELECTION.
RICHARD HAASS IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGNIDENT
OF THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, AND AUTHOR OF "A
WORLD IN DISARRAY."
>> DO YOU BELIEVE HIS DENIALS ON
THE ELECTION INTERFERENCE?
>> I DONT SPEAK RUSSIAN, BUT
THERES NO WORD IN RUSSIAN THESE
DAYS FOR FREELANCING.
THE IDEA THAT ANYBODY IN RUSSIA
WOULD HAVE DONE SUCH THINGS AS
INTERFERE IN THE AMERICAN
ELECTIONS WITHOUT
VLADIMIR PUTINS PERSONAL OKAY
IS INCONCEIVABLE.
>> NOT ACCORDING TO MR. PUTIN.
IN OUR INTERVIEW HE TOLD US
THERE WAS NO WAY RUSSIANS COULD
HAVE SWAYED THE ELECTION TO
PRESIDENT TRUMP. >> COULD ANYONE REALLY BELIEVE
THAT RUSSIA, THOUSANDS OF MILES
AWAY, WITH THE HELP TWO OR THREE
RUSSIANS, LIKE YOU SAID, WHOM I
DONT EVEN KNOW, THAT THEY
INTERFERED, AND INFLUENCED THE
OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION?
DOESNT -- DOESNT THAT SOUND
RIDICULOUS EVEN TO YOU?
>> NOT AT ALL RIDICULOUS WHEN
YOU LEARN THIS --
MR. PUTIN DOES KNOW AT LEAST ONE OF THE RUSSIANS NAMED IN THE ONE
OF THE RUSSIANS NAMED IN THE
INDICTMENT. ACCORDING TO MUELLER, THIS MAN
YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN HELPED
BANKROLL THE CYBER OPERATION
USED TO INTERFERE IN THE
2016 ELECTION. PRIGOZHIN IS A POWERFUL RUSSIAN
OLIGARCH WHOSE CLOSE ASSOCIATION
WITH THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HAS
EARNED HIM A NICKNAME "PUTINS
COOK."
COOK." >> ITS NOT TRUE THAT YOU DONT
KNOW THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
ACCUSED OF CONDUCTING THIS.
ONE OF YOUR GOOD FRIENDS IS
ACTUALLY ACCUSED OF HELPING
CONDUCT THIS.
CONDUCT THIS. HIS NAME IS YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN.
YOU KNOW HIM?
>> I KNOW THAT PERSON.
BUT I WOULDNT CONSIDER HIM ONE
OF MY FRIENDS.
THIS IS JUST TWISTING THE FACTS AROUND. JUST TWISTING THE FACTS
AROUND. HE IS A BUSINESSMAN.
HE IS INVOLVED IN THE RESTAURANT
BUSINESS AND SOME OTHER BUSINESS.AND SOME OTHER
BUSINESS. BUT HE IS NOT A GOVERNMENT
OFFICIAL.
OFFICIAL.
WE DONT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO
WITH HIM. >> AFTER YOU HEARD THAT HE HAD
BEEN INDICTED, DID YOU PICK UP
THE PHONE AND CALL HIM?
>> LIKE I HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO
DO.
DO. IVE GOT SO MANY THINGS TO DO
AND SO MANY PROBLEMS --
>> HES YOUR FRIEND.
HES JUST BEEN INDICTED.
DID -- DIDNT YOU HEAR WHAT I
SAID?E HES NOT A FRIEND OF
MINE.
MINE. I DO KNOW THIS PERSON.
BUT I WOULDNT LIST HIM AMONG MY
FRIENDS.
FRIENDS. WASNT I CLEAR?
AND THERE IS A GREAT NUMBER OF
INDIVIDUALS LIKE THAT.
IN RUSSIA THERE ARE 146 MILLION
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. NOT AS MANY AS IN THE U.S., BUT
STILL A PRETTY LARGE NUMBER.
YOU -- YOU SAID THAT --
>> HES PRETTY PROMINENT.
>> HES WELL KNOWN, SO WHAT?
THERE ARE PLENTY OF WELL-KNOWN
PEOPLE IN RUSSIA.
HES NOT A PUBLIC OFFICIAL.
HES NOT A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE.
HES JUST A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL.
A BUSINESSMAN.
A BUSINESSMAN.
>> SOME PEOPLE SAY HIS REAL JOB
IS TO DO YOUR DIRTY WORK.
>> WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
AND WHAT DIRTY WORK?
I DONT ENGAGE IN ANY DIRTY
WORK.
EVERYTHING I DO IS OUT IN THE
OPEN.
THIS IS LIKE A STEREOTYPE FOR
YOU.
YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO LIKES DOING
DIRTY WORK AND YOU THINK THAT WE
DO THE SAME.
NO, THATS NOT THE CASE. >> ITS "A", THE FACT THAT YOU
KNOW HIM.
KNOW HIM. YOU ADMIT THAT.
HES A PROMINENT RUSSIAN
BUSINESSMAN.
BUSINESSMAN. AND HES SPECIFICALLY ACCUSED OF
RUNNING THIS OPERATION.
"B", THIS IS THE SAME MAN WHOS
BEEN ACCUSED OF SENDING RUSSIAN
MERCENARIES INTO SYRIA AND THEY
ATTACKED A COMPOUND HELD BY
AMERICAN-BACKED MILITIA.
AMERICAN-BACKED MILITIA. THIS GUY GETS AROUND.
>> YOU KNOW, THIS INDIVIDUAL MAY
HAVE VERY DIVERSE INTERESTS
INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE,
INTERESTS IN THE AREA OF -- THE
FUEL AND ENERGY INDUSTRY IN
SYRIA.
SYRIA.
HOWEVER, WE DO NOT SUPPORT HIM
IN ANY WAY.
WE DO NOT INTERFERE WITH HIM IN
ANY WAY.
AND WE DO NOT ASSIST HIM.
ITS HIS OWN PERSONAL
INITIATIVE.
>> YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN SAYS HE HAS
NO CONNECTION TO THE RUSSIAN
MERCENARIES IN SYRIA AND DENIES
INVOLVEMENT IN ANY ELECTION INTERFERENCE.N ANY ELECTION
INTERFERENCE.
FOR HIS PART, MR. PUTIN INSISTS HIS COUNTRY HAS NO DESIRE TOSTS
HIS COUNTRY HAS NO DESIRE TO INTERVENE IN AMERICAN POLITICS.
>> ITS NOT OUR GOAL TO
INTERFERE.
INTERFERE. WE DO NOT SEE WHAT GOAL WE WOULD
ACCOMPLISH BY INTERFERING.
THERES NO GOAL.
SO, LETS SAY WE PUT AN -- >> LETS IMAGINE WE SET --
>> LETS IMAGINE WE SET OURSELVES THE GOAL OF
INTERFERING.
INTERFERING. FOR WHAT?
FOR WHAT? FOR THE SAKE OF INTERFERING?
WHAT IS THE GOAL?
SO, IM --
SO, IM -- >> CREATING CHAOS.
THATS THE GOAL.
>> THATS CERTAINLY THE BELIEF
OF THE U.S. INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. >> I THINK HIS MOTIVATIONS WERE
MANY.
MANY. HE REALLY DOES TRY TO SHAPE THE
INTERNAL POLITICS OF OTHER
COUNTRIES.
COUNTRIES. >> JOHN BRENNAN IS A FORMER CIA
DIRECTOR AND NOW AN NBC NEWS
ANALYST.
ANALYST. >> ONE OF THE REAL PURPOSES OF
THE RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN THE
ELECTION WAS TO UNDERMINE THE
INTEGRITY OF THAT DEMOCRATIC PROCESS HERE IN THEEMOCRATIC
PROCESS HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES, TO CREATE SOME CONFUSION TO WEAKEN THEE SOME
CONFUSION TO WEAKEN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
AND THEN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS
NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES AND -- AND
CONFRONTING, I THINK, RUSSIAN
AGGRESSION AS ASSERTIVELY AS IT
NEEDS TO.
NEEDS TO. >> IN ANY CASE, MR. PUTIN TOLD
US HE CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT
THE ACTIVITIES OF PRIVATE
RUSSIAN CITIZENS.
RUSSIAN CITIZENS.
>> YOU CANT? THE RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE
SERVICES CANNOT FIND OUT WHOS
DOING THIS, BRING IT TO YOUR
ATTENTION?
ATTENTION? YOURE UNABLE TO STOP IT?
>> WELL, MAYBE, IF WE STARTED
DOING IT IN A PURPOSEFUL WAY, WE
PROBABLY COULD HAVE IDENTIFIED
THESE INDIVIDUALS IF THEY DO
EXIST.
EXIST. BUT WE DONT HAVE THAT OBJECTIVE
OR THAT GOAL.
>> SO YOU HAVE NO GOAL TO STOP IT?SO YOU HAVE NO GOAL TO STOP
IT?
AND SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR ELECTIONS IN 2018, IN 2020?
WE CAN EXPECT MORE OF THE SAME?
>> I DIDNT SAY THAT WE DONT
HAVE THE GOAL OF PUTTING AN END
TO IT.
TO IT.
I SAID THAT WE HAVE --
>> YOU JUST SAID THAT.
>> NO.
NO, I DID NOT SAY THAT.
WHAT I SAID IS THAT WE DO NOT
INTERFERE IN THE PRIVATE LIVES
OF OUR PEOPLE.
AND WE CANT PREVENT THEM FROM
EXPRESSING THEIR POINTS OF VIEW.
INCLUDING ON THE INTERNET.
>> HE MAINTAINED HIS HANDS WERE
TIED BY RUSSIAN LAW.
>> INTERNALLY YOU COULD PUT A
STOP TO THIS IF YOU HAD THE
DESIRE.
>> I -- LISTEN TO WHAT IM
SAYING, I WANT YOU TO HEAR WHAT
IM SAYING.
WE WILL STAND IN THE WAY OF
ANYTHING THAT VIOLATES EXISTING
RUSSIAN LAWS.
IF THEY DO NOT VIOLATE RUSSIAN
LAWS THEN --
THERE WOULD BE NOTHING TO BRING
THEM TO JUSTICE -- FOR --
>> WOULD THIS VIOLATE RUSSIAN
LAW?
>> I HAVE TO SEE FIRST WHAT
THEYVE DONE.
GIVE US THE MATERIALS.
NOBODYS GIVING US ANYTHING.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS.
HACKING INTO THE DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL COMMITTEE, HACKING INTO
JOHN PODESTAS EMAIL, CREATING
INTERFERENCE IN OUR ELECTION BY
CREATING BOTS THAT SPREAD FALSE
INFORMATION ON TWITTER, ON
FACEBOOK, SPREADING
MISINFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TO
BLACK LIVES MATTER, WHEN IT
COMES TO THE SHOOTING WE JUST
HAD IN PARKLAND, FLORIDA, WHEN
IT COMES TO OUR PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION.
SPREADING FAKE NEWS IN ORDER TO
ALTER THE COURSE OF A
PRESIDENTIAL RACE.
THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT.
>> YOU KNOW WITH ALL DUE -- WITH
ALL DUE RESPECT , I WANT YOU TO
UNDERSTAND ONCE AND FOR ALL,
AFTER ALL, YOU DO HAVE PEOPLE
WITH LEGAL DEGREES THERE DONT
YOU?
YOU PROBABLY DO.
I AM 100% SURE THAT THERE ARE,
AND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO
ARE WELL-EDUCATED WHO MUST
UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT WE IN
RUSSIA CANNOT PROSECUTE ANYONE
AS LONG AS THEY HAVE NOT
VIOLATED RUSSIAN LAW.
MOREOVER, WE CANNOT OPEN AN
INVESTIGATION IF THERES NO
CAUSE FOR THAT.
OUR CONVERSATION TODAY CANNOT BE
THE CAUSE FOR THAT.
>> INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES IN THE
UNITED STATES.
NOW A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR WITH A
CRIMINAL INDICTMENT.
THATS NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU FOR TO
LOOK INTO IT?
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
AND IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LEGAL
DEGREE I CAN TELL YOU.
FOR THAT YOU NEED A REQUEST
THROUGH --
>> I DO.
>> THROUGH -- WELL, IN THAT
CASE, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT
WHAT IT TAKES IS AN OFFICIAL
REQUEST TO THE PROSECUTOR
GENERALS OFFICE OF THE RUSSIAN
FEDERATION.
AND EVEN THEN WE DONT HAVE AN
AGREEMENT WITH YOU WHEREBY WE
COULD ACT.
BUT AT LEAST SEND US A PIECE OF
PAPER.
>> VLADIMIR PUTIN COULD NOT
ORDER AN INVESTIGATION INTO
WHETHER THIS WAS DONE IN A WAY
THAT UNDERMINES ITS RELATIONS
WITH A MAJOR PARTNER, UNI -- THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?
>> GIVE US A DOCUMENT.
GIVE US AN OFFICIAL REQUEST.
AND WELL TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
>> YOU SAID THAT THE LAST TIME.
AND NOW IM BACK WITH AN
INDICTMENT.
>> AND NOW THE SAME THIS YEAR.
AND NOW THERE IS NO DOCUMENT.
>> AGAIN, I ASKED RICHARD HAASS
FOR HIS ASSESSMENT.
>> AND ALL THAT STUFF ABOUT,
"IM GONNA TAKE A LOOK TO SEE
WHETHER IT VIOLATES RUSSIAN
LAW"?
>> WHAT PUTIN IS GIVING YOU IS
THE APPEARANCE OF LEGALITY, OF
DUE PROCESS.
BUT THIS IS ALL A SMOKESCREEN. NONE OF THIS COULD OR WOULD HAVE
HAPPENED WITHOUT THE DIRECT
AUTHORITY OF THE MAN WHO SITS IN
THE KREMLIN.
THE KREMLIN. >> COMING UP --
>> HE MIGHT BE BAD, HE MIGHT BE
GOOD, BUT HES A STRONG LEADER.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP SEEMS TO HAVE
A SOFT SPOT FOR PRESIDENT PUTIN.
>> NEVER A HARSH WORD FOR YOU.
WHY DO YOU THINK HES SO NICE TO YOU?DO YOU THINK HES SO NICE TO