Kremlin, Russian lawmakers downplay Flynn's resignation
Kremlin, Russian lawmakers downplay Flynn's resignation
By NATALIYA VASILYEVA Feb. 14, 2017 8:46 AM EST
MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin on Tuesday played down the resignation of U.S. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, a sign that Russia is already looking ahead to talks with the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to improve the two nations' strained ties.
Flynn was often perceived as Donald Trump's key contact with Moscow. In 2015, he was paid to attend a gala dinner for Russia Today, a Kremlin-funded television station, and even sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the event.
Flynn resigned Monday night after conceding that he gave "incomplete information" about his calls with Russia's ambassador to U.S. officials.
A U.S. official told The Associated Press that Flynn was in frequent contact with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak on the day that the Obama administration imposed sanctions on Russia after U.S. intelligence reported that Russia had interfered with the 2016 U.S. election. The Kremlin has confirmed that Flynn has been in contact with Kislyak but denied that they talked about lifting sanctions.
The Russian establishment has not harbored any illusions about the Trump administration's pro-Russia stance for some time now, said Alexei Makarkin at the Moscow-based Center for Political Technologies.
"This infatuation with Trump in Russia is over, and Flynn as a person who has contributed to this infatuation stopped being perceived as a figure who can have a real impact on the U.S. foreign policy," Makarkin said.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e225aaea0ff540d883e5f6e5fd62c43f/russian-lawmakers-mount-fierce-defense-flynn