Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday jokingly suggested that the Kremlin would interfere in the 2020 U.S. presidential election as American intelligence officials have concluded Russia meddled in the 2016 race.

“I’ll tell you in a secret, yes, we’ll definitely intervene,” Mr. Putin said as he jokingly whispered into a microphone during a forum in Moscow.

The Russian leader was speaking at an energy summit, He was asked by the moderator whether Russia would attempt to influence the U.S.’s upcoming presidential election.

“It’s a secret so that everybody can laugh, and so we’ll go big. But don’t tell anyone please,” he added.

Just hours earlier, Mr. Putin said it would be “ridiculous” to say that Russia will try to meddle in the upcoming election, Reuters reported. Moscow has repeatedly denied it had any involvement in the outcome of the 2016 election.

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