Putin describes latest US-Russia intelligence row as 'political schizophrenia'

Russian president Vladimir Putin has described as “political schizophrenia” the latest scandal to have hit the US government.

US President Donald Trump has come under fire for reportedly disclosing classified information about a planned operation by the so-called Islamic State to the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov when he recently hosted him at the White House.

But speaking in Sochi alongside the visiting Italian Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, Vladimir Putin dismissed the latest scandal saying he was willing to hand over a transcript of the talks between Donald Trump and senior Russian officials.

Putin also branded those accusing Trump of handing over classified information to Moscow as either crazy or ‘‘dangerous’‘

“If the US administration wants we are ready to give the recordings of these conversations to the United States Senate and Congress,” he said.

“What surprises me is that they are shaking up the domestic political situation using anti-Russian slogans. Either they don’t understand the damage they’re doing to their own country, in which case they are simply stupid, or they understand everything, in which case they are dangerous and corrupt.’‘

The latest scandal comes amid claims that Trump tried to influence an FBI probe into his team’s links with Moscow.