Former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had good relations with former Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak and did not understand the large-scale expulsion of Russian diplomats in December 2016, according to a recently released FBI document.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th December, 2018) Former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had good relations with former Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak and did not understand the large-scale expulsion of Russian diplomats in December 2016, according to a recently released FBI document.
The document was issued by the Office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is in charge of the investigation into the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential campaign. Flynn, who is now accused of lying to the FBI about his contacts with Kislyak, will receive a court sentence on Tuesday.
"Flynn expanded that he has no particular affinity for Russia, but that Kislyak was his counterpart, and maintaining trusted relationships within foreign government is important," the FBI report said.
The document contains information about a number of Flynn's conversations with Kislyak as well as his meeting with then Director of the Russian military intelligence service GRU Igor Sergun.
According to the FBI, Flynn has not understood the motives for the US decision to expel 35 Russian diplomats in 2016 in response to the alleged Russian interference in the US presidential campaign.
"Flynn did not know about the Pesrona Non-Grata (PNG) action until it was in the media. Kislyak and Flynn were starting off on a good footing and Flynn was looking forward to the relationship. With regard to the scope of the Russians who were expelled, Flynn said he did not understand it. Flynn stated he could understand one PNG, but not thirty-five," the paper said.
When asked whether he discussed the expulsion of Russian diplomats with Kislyak, Flynn said he did not remember that.
"Not really. I don't remember. It wasn't, 'Don't do anything,'" Flynn said during the questioning.
Mueller's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the US presidential campaign is underway along with another probe carried out by the US Congress.
Russian officials have repeatedly denied the claims of interference, stressing that no evidence has been offered to substantiate the allegations. They have also said the allegations were invented to excuse the election loss of a presidential candidate and deflect public attention from actual instances of electoral fraud and corruption.
