WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump spoke with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for more than an hour Friday, their first talk since special counsel Robert Mueller concluded his report on Russian election interference – an investigation Trump labeled a "hoax" in his summary of the call.

"We discussed Trade, Venezuela, Ukraine, North Korea, Nuclear Arms Control and even the 'Russian Hoax,'" Trump tweeted about his discussion with Putin. "Very productive talk!"

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said they "very briefly" discussed the end of the Mueller investigation, "essentially in the context of that it's over and there was no collusion."

In another tweet, the president described the phone call as "a long and very good conversation," and added: "As I have always said, long before the Witch Hunt started, getting along with Russia, China, and everyone is a good thing, not a bad thing."

In a separate statement, the Kremlin said "the current state and prospects of bilateral relations were discussed with a focus on economic cooperation," and that Trump initiated the call.

Some critics said Trump should have admonished Putin over election interference in 2016, and warned him not to do it again in 2020.

"By calling it the 'Russian Hoax' Trump is giving Putin tacit approval to continue meddling," tweeted Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y. "And worse yet, he's essentially sending a cease and desist to anyone in our government who might be inclined to publicly acknowledge and counter this threat."

She added: "This is beyond reckless."

When a reporter asked Trump if he asked Putin "not to meddle" in the next election, Trump said: "You're being rude."

During their call, Trump and Putin also discussed a possible nuclear weapons reduction deal involving the U.S., Russia and China, as well as the stalled negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear weapons programs, officials said.

Other topics included civil unrest in Venezuela and Russian activity in Ukraine.

The Kremlin readout suggested criticism of U.S. support for the opposition in Venezuela as it tries to seize power from the government of Nicolas Maduro.

"The President of Russia underscored that only the Venezuelans themselves have the right to determine the future of their country," the Kremlin said, and "outside interference" and "attempts to change the government in Caracas by force undermine prospects for a political settlement of the crisis."

The Kremlin statement did not mention Mueller or Russian interference in U.S. elections.

"The two heads of state expressed satisfaction with the business-like and constructive nature of the conversation," it said.

The Trump-Putin relationship has been a source of endless speculation and controversy.

Critics said Trump has been too deferential to the Russian leader. The American president has said in the past he believes Putin's denials that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, taking his word over that of the U.S. intelligence community.

Trump made such a statement after a much-criticized meeting with Putin in Helsinki last year. After criticism from a bipartisan group of lawmakers, Trump later walked back his statements and said he accepted the findings of the U.S. intelligence community.

Trump expressed a desire for another meeting with Putin last year, but plans were canceled in the wake of the investigation of Russia and Trump. The two leaders did speak privately for some 15 minutes, without translators or note takers, on the sidelines of a G-20 summit in Argentina in November.

Mueller's team investigated possible connections between Trump and Putin. But it concluded there was no evidence of coordination between the U.S. president's campaign and Russians who hacked Democratic emails and pushed fake news about Trump opponent Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign.

Trump has said no one has been harder on Russia than him, citing ongoing sanctions on Putin's government over Ukraine and the election interference.

U.S. intelligence officials believe Putin authorized the Russian election operation.