President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser has been in contact with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., but the pair have not partaken in discussions about sanctions, the Trump transition team insisted Friday.
Trump transition spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed to reporters that Flynn and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak spoke by phone on Dec. 29, the same day President Obama imposed sanctions on Russia and expelled multiple Russian officials from the country in retaliation for alleged Russian hacking into emails belonging to the Democratic National Committee.
The only thing discussed in the call, Spicer explained, was the “logistics” for setting up a call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin after Trump’s inauguration Friday.
Spicier said Flynn texted Kislyak Dec 28 to wish him a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and Kislyak replied by requesting a phone conversation about the “logistics of setting up a call with the president of Russia and the president-elect.”
“The call centered around the logistics of setting up a call … after he was sworn in, and they exchanged logistical information on how to initiate and schedule that call,” Spicer told reporters Friday. “That was it, plain and simple.”
Another transition official who was not authorized to discuss the matter and insisted on anonymity, told reporters that Flynn spoke by phone with Kislyak the following day and invited U.S. officials to a conference in Kazakhstan, Syria, later this month.
Washington Post columnist David Ignatius broke the news about calls between Flynn and Russian ambassador Kislyak, citing an unnamed government official who said the incoming national security advisor spoke Kislyak “several times” on Dec 29.
While unclear how U.S. officials became aware of the contacts between Flynn and Kislyak, who has served as Russia’s envoy to the U.S. since 2008, U.S. monitoring of Russian officials’ communication within the United States is known to be common, Fox News reports.
The timing of the communication between Flynn and Kislyak raises question as to whether Flynn was trying to ease Russian frustration in light of Obama’s sanctions. ‘
Had Flynn and Kislyak discussed the sanctions, they would have violated the Logan Act, a 1799 law that bars unauthorized citizens from brokering deals with foreign governments involved in disputes with the United States.
Putin announced Dec. 30 that he would not retaliate for the Obama administration’s newly imposed sanctions. Trump commended Putin for the decision on Twitter.
Great move on delay (by V. Putin) – I always knew he was very smart!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2016
Trump has repeatedly made it clear that he intends on improving U.S. relations with Russia, which deteriorated under the Obama administration, and hopes a relationship with the Kremilin could help the U.S. defeat the radical Islamists of ISIS.
“If Putin likes Donald Trump, guess what, folks? That’s called an asset, not a liability,” the president-elect said during a news conference Wednesday. “Now, I don’t know that I’m going to get along with Vladimir Putin. I hope I do. But there’s a good chance I won’t.”
“And if I don’t, do you honestly believe that Hillary [Clinton] would be tougher on Putin than me?” Trump added. “Does anybody in this room really believe that? Give me a break.”
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