"The American president does not lead the Free World, congratulating the dictators on winning rigged elections," McCain said in a statement posted on the politician's website.

"And, having done this with Putin, President Trump insulted every citizen of Russia who was denied the right to vote in free and fair elections to determine the future of his country, including countless Russian patriots who were so at risk to protest and oppose the Putin regime ", added the senator.

As previously reported, on March 19, the White House said that Trump does not plan to contact Putin on the phone about his victory in the elections.

In response, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that this should not be considered an unfriendly step.

Source: "Observer".