Russian PM Vladimir Putin declared on Thursday that the United States encouraged the Georgian conflict in order to distract the world's opinion from Iraq and Afghanistan and thus help the Republican candidate in his Presidential race. Putin made public these accusations in an exclusive interview for the CNN, Romania news agency NewsIn informs.

He added that this information was retrieved by Russian officials who confirmed that the US encouraged Georgia to attack South Ossetia. Putin alleged that all military orders were given by the Americans.

White House officials rejected Putin's affirmations, and qualified them as irrational. McCain, the Republican candidate for the Presidency, took a pro-Georgian stand even when the conflict was in its initial stage.

For Obama however, Russia is nor an enemy, nor a close ally but it is a country who needs to continue its democratization steps. However, McCain is more extreme and declared that Russia should be excluded from the G8 group. He was very harsh with Putin, whom he considers a dangerous man.