Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed the hope that the investigation into “Russia’s interference” in the US presidential elections will be halted, and relations between the two countries will develop, reported RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

“We are hostages to this internal strife in the United States,” Putin said in a meeting with top editors of international news agencies, reported The Associated Press (AP), and regarding the aforesaid investigation. “I hope that it will end some day and the objective need for the development of Russian-American relationships will prevail.”