Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday appeared to revel in the ongoing political maelstrom in the U.S., jokingly admitting to plans for future election meddling.

When asked whether Russia would interfere in the 2020 election cycle, Putin leaned into the microphone onstage and mimicked a whisper: “I’m going to tell you a secret. Yes, sure. We’re going to do that. Don’t tell anybody.”


The quip at the Russian Energy Week panel elicited laughter and applause as Putin discussed why he believes the allegations made by former special counsel Robert Mueller, who concluded that Moscow mounted an aggressive effort to disrupt the 2016 presidential election, were untrue.