INTERFERENCE

British PM Theresa May Accuses Putin of Election Meddling

“We know what you are doing and you will not succeed.”

British Prime Minister Theresa May called out Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday night, accusing him of meddling in elections and of committing cyberespionage. May, speaking before business figures in London, said Putin was working to “undermine free societies” by “planting fake stories.” May’s accusations marked a stark contrast to President Trump’s statement last week, in which he said he believed Putin’s denials that he interfered in the 2016 U.S. election. Russia will be a valuable partner to the West—but only if it “plays by the rules,” May said. “We know what you are doing and you will not succeed. Because you underestimate the resilience of our democracies, the enduring attraction of free and open societies, and the commitment of Western nations to the alliances that bind us.”