Jane Onyanga-Omara

USA TODAY

The Kremlin demanded an apology from FOX News on Monday, after the network's Bill O’Reilly called President Vladimir Putin “a killer.”

O’Reilly made the remark, which related to alleged political killings of journalists and other dissenters, in an interview with President Trump that was broadcast Sunday.

Trump said he would like assistance from Russia in the fight against the Islamic State and added, "Will I get along with them? I have no idea."

"Putin's a killer," O'Reilly interjected

“There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. Well, you think our country's so innocent?” Trump replied.

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"We believe that such a statement by the Fox News host was insulting and impermissible,” Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Monday.

“We would prefer to hear apologies addressed to the president from such a respectable television network,” he added.

Putin and Trump have expressed a desire to build a closer relationship, after the Obama administration imposed sanctions against Russian businesses and individuals for Russia’s alleged attempts to interfere in the U.S. presidential election to Trump's advantage, backing of separatist forces in Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea.

During the opening segment in his show Monday night, The O'Reilly Factor host refused to apologize for his assessment of the Russian leader.

"I'm working on that apology," the FOX News commentator said about the Kremlin's demand. "Might want to check in with me around 2023."

Contributing: Charles Ventura from Los Angeles