Culture

Vladimir Putin Claims Comey’s Firing Won’t Affect US-Russia Relations While Decked Out In Hockey Gear

The firing of FBI Director James Comey by Donald Trump has been the top news story since Tuesday night, especially since the ousted official previously confirmed the agency was investigating alleged links between the president’s campaign and Russia. Whether or not this investigation (or the Senate’s own review of possible collusion) has anything to do with Comey’s termination remains to be seen. Even so, the lack of concrete evidence hasn’t prevented calls for a special prosecutor to be appointed. Nor has it prevented reporters from broaching the subject with Russian officials.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov joked about the matter when asked about Comey at a press conference with State Secretary Rex Tillerson. Yet his sarcasm paled in comparison to his boss’s response, which Vladimir Putin gave while decked out in hockey gear before a game in Moscow. When CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer asked the Russian president if Comey’s removal would affect U.S.-Russia relations, he claimed via a translator, “There will be no effect.”

“Your question looks very funny for me. Don’t be angry with me. We have nothing to do with that,” he continued. “President Trump is acting in accordance with his competence, in accordance with his law and Constitution. And what about us? Why we? You see, I am going to play hockey with the hockey fans. And I invite you to do the same.”


Putin’s comments regarding Trump’s competence notwithstanding, journalists and Twitter at large weren’t entirely sure what to make of the setting of the brief interview.

As somewhat lighthearted as the interview and Twitter’s response seemed, however, ABC News’ Joshua Hoyos brought everyone back to a rather depressing reality.

(Via CBS News)

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