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Our approval is needed to publish Trump-Putin calls: Russia

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MOSCOW: Russia says transcripts of calls between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin can only be published on mutual accord.

The White House has severely restricted the distribution of memos detailing Trump's calls with foreign leaders, including Putin.

Asked about Congress' push for the publication of Putin-Trump calls, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that "the publication is possible only on mutual accord".

Peskov noted that "diplomatic practice doesn't envisage such publications," but added "if we receive some signals from the US, we will consider it."

The rough transcript of Trump's call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, which was released by the White House, is now the focus of a US impeachment probe.

It showed Trump urging Ukraine to "look into" his Democratic political rival Joe Biden.

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