The Kremlin confirmed reports that former US President Donald Trump sent Covid tests to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the pandemic. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov stated that Trump sent the tests during a period of “shortage in the US.”

The claim about the Covid test, as disclosed in journalist Bob Woodward’s newly released book this week, was validated by the Kremlin.

According to the book, during the early stages of the outbreak, former US President Donald Trump allegedly sent Covid tests to Russian President Vladimir Putin when tests were nearly depleted. Peskov largely confirmed Woodward’s account of Trump secretly sending tests to the Russian leader for personal use despite shortages in the US. Peskov mentioned that during the initial stages of the pandemic when there was insufficient equipment, “all countries tried to exchange resources somehow among themselves.” He added that at that time, tests were considered “scarce items.” Peskov also stated that a number of ventilator units were sent to the US, and in return, “they sent us these tests.” The Kremlin spokesperson disclosed that the exchanges occurred “when the outbreak started” and noted that tests were “rare items” during that period.

According to Woodward’s book, Russian leader Putin allegedly told Trump, “I don’t want you to tell anyone because people will get mad at you.” The book also claimed that Trump and Putin might have had seven phone conversations since 2021. However, Peskov denied this claim, stating that the conversations did not actually take place.