i think mr peskov believes that.ply prejudiced and deeply unfair. but then he probably would say that, wouldn't he? i'll tell you something interesting, though, that came out of the interview. he believes, and it's clear that the russian government in general belief that barack russian government in general belief that ba rack obama, russian government in general belief that barack obama, in the last few days and weeks, has been trying to ina days and weeks, has been trying to in a sense limit donald trump's room for manoeuvre. everything mr obama was saying yesterday for example about the importance of not easing sanctions on russia unless russia gives ground and the ukraine issue, thatis gives ground and the ukraine issue, that is something the russians deeply resent. of course, they are hoping donald trump might well be a trusted in easing those sanctions, which are hurting the russian economy “— which are hurting the russian economy —— might well be in trusted. mrtrump will economy —— might well be in trusted. mr

you had an interview with mr peskov and you asked him about me several times. name? the same as putin. even pro—kremlinjournalists are laughing about the situation because for all these years he never mentioned my name. he's afraid of... not about me, but he's afraid of the people i represent. you talk about dmitry peskov, who i'm going to see again injust a couple of days‘ time. he seems supremely confident that vladimir putin has a grip on this country that will not be relinquished. what would you say to peskov that might undermine his confidence? well, i guess, a lot of russian people have a major question to ask mr peskov, and the question is, why are you lying all the time? for decades he's never said a single word of truth. he's lying all the time. how does he manage to deal with himself? getting up in the morning and looking at himself in the mirror and saying to himself, today, again, i will live as a lying human being. the problem is, as you've said in this interview, you don't get access to russian state tv, you do not get the sort of media coverage.

mr peskov also said that effectively, there can't be real progress in syria without the americans, sowords, the possibility of some deal with a deal—maker. precisely. i guess this is exactly right about nato, but i think even if america withdraws itself from different types of bodies, from world bank, imf, un, this is all actually quite positive, will be seen quite positive in moscow. i would have thought that one of the first casualties of trump's vision for america is his hope for improved relationships with russia and putin. and the fact that he's appointed, for example, as secretary of defence and he is not alone amongst the cabinet nominees, somebody who takes a much tougher line on russia, it's indicative, and it won't be very long before trump and putin fall out. you are right. that's why i think the current feeling in moscow is the feeling of "let's wait and see what will happen". actually, i wouldn't be surprised by hearing on the russian television moving forward that trump himself is our guy, he is good, he really means well but he is surrounded by the establishment and the

mr trump some time soon. i take it the russian response has been, insofar as we can read it, pretty positive? in the bbc interview, dmitry peskov, the press secretary of putin, yesterday said they would go and celebrate the russian christian holiday of epiphany yesterday, rather than watch the inaugural address. however, what we know is the potential reykjavik summit, echoing 1986 between reagan and gorbachev might be happening between trump and putin quite soon. if you ask me to say something positive about putin as a bbc employee, i can't do either. but i can say what russian television has been saying about trump, and the positive thing is they call him "the man of his word" and that's interesting in itself. politicians generally say they don't know what is going to happen really, because there is nothing to say anything concrete about his policies moving forward. but what they are definitely saying, because the tide is changing,

today dmitry peskov, putin's spokesman said the claims were pulp fiction and a clear attempt to damage relations. mrs he is in no way compromised by vladimir putin's preference for him as the next president. if putin likes donald trump, i consider that an asset, not a liability, because we have a horrible relationship with russia. russia can help us fight isis which, by the way, is number one tricky. i don't know that i'm going to get along with vladimir putin. i hope i do, but there's a good chance i won't. and if i don't, do you honestly believe that hillary would be tougher on putin? does anyone in this room really believe that? give me a break. the press conference got most heated when cnn, one news organisation which has covered the latest allegations, tried to put a question. no, not you, not you, your organisation's terrible. your organisation's terrible. don't be... i'm not going to give you a question. you are fake news. these papers are just some of the many documents... mr trump also used the occasion to display some of the legal documents turning his business over to his family. it is hi

peskov, "is not our soul mate." that's a frosty change from the surprisingly warm endorsement mr. putin gave mr.. "he's a colorful and powerful man, and he says he wants to move to deeper relations. how can we not welcome that?" top of russia's wish list is to be treated by america as an equal, not a mere "regional power," as barack obama once called it. andrei soldatov is an expert on cyber espionage, and he says russian hacking during the election campaign was meant to damage hillary clinton, but it had an unexpected benefit. >> so russia and the russian role became a big story. >> reporter: and is that good or bad for russia? >> it's important for many people in the kremlin to feel that they might be treated as important country, something like a superpower, and that's actually gives you something to be proud of. >> reporter: important enough that the new trump administration will decide to ignore issues that have poisoned u.s.-russia relations, like the invasion of crimea, or the hacking operation. and if president trump won't offer russia what amounts to a fresh start, scott, there are plen

today dmitry peskov, putin was back spokesman said the planes we re was back spokesman said the planes were pulp fiction and a clear attempt to damage relations. mrmpromised by vladimir putin's preference for him as the next president. is putin likes donald trump, i consider that an asset, not a liability because we have a horrible relationship with russia. russia can help us fight isis which by the way, is number one tricky. i don't know that i'm going to get along with vladimir putin. i hope i do but there's a good chance i won't. and if i don't, do you honestly believe that hillary would be tougher on putin done? does anyone in this room really believe that? give me a break. the press conference got mostly did when cnn, one news on the —— news organisation which has cover the latest allegations extend to become tried to put a question. no, not you, not you, your organisation's terrible. your organisation's terrible. don't be... i'm not going to give you a question. you are fake news. these papers arejust question. you are fake news. these papers are just some of the many documents... mr trump also use the occasion to display some of the legal