President Donald Trump today said that "nobody has been tougher" on Russia than him but noted that "getting along" with the Kremlin would be beneficial for the US.
Trump's comments came during a meeting with leaders of the Baltic states -- Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - a day after the White House confirmed the president invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the White House for a potential meeting.
Trump has been facing flak from the Opposition for his effort to improve ties with Moscow.
"Probably nobody has been tougher to Russia than Donald Trump. If you take a look at our military strength now, which would not have happened had the opponent won, Trump told reporters during a luncheon with the visiting Baltic leaders.
"If you take a look at the oil and gas that we're producing now. We're independent. We're now exporting oil and gas. This is not something that Russia wanted, he said.
Trump, however, said that improving ties with Russia is also important.
"Nobody has been tougher on Russia, but getting along with Russia would be a good thing, not a bad thing. And just about everybody agrees to that except very stupid people," he said.
Asked if Putin is "a friend or a foe, Trump said, "We'll find out."
Tension between the US and Russia escalated last week when Russia expelled 60 US diplomats and closed the US Consulate in St Petersburg in response to the US expelling Russian diplomats and closing their Seattle consulate.
The US decision was made after Britain recently blamed Russia for the nerve-agent poisoning of a former Russian spy on British soil.
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