Story highlights Putin downplays meeting between Kushner and Russian banker

He warns of US-Russian relations reaching 'point of absurdity'

Moscow (CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin has described allegations that his country meddled in the 2016 US election as "fictional, illusory, provocations and lies."

Asked directly on Thursday whether Russia interfered in the election, Putin said: "Read my lips: No."

Putin's comments are the President's most emphatic denial of the accusations yet, and are the first he has directly made since US President Donald Trump took office in January.

Russian officials and spokespeople for Putin, however, have brushed off the claims several times as a political "witch hunt."