Michael Flynn
The former assistant to the President for national security Michael Flynn said that during talks with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak they did not discuss the sanctions, but the fact of deportation from the United States 35 Russian diplomats. He said this just hours before his resignation in an interview with the network edition of the Daily Caller, published on Tuesday, February 14.
“It was not about the sanctions. It was about the 35 people who were deported, he said. And here it all turned out. Basically, it was: “Look, I know it happened. We all learn”. I never said anything like: “We’re going to review the sanctions,” or something like that.”
Flynn also said that much more concerned about the leaks to the media of classified information, particularly on negotiations of politicians. Such actions, he called a criminal offence. “In some cases we are talking about things that were made outside of the classified system and handed reporters. It is a crime”, — said Flynn.
On 13 February, the President of the United States Donald trump has issued a statement Flynn’s resignation from the post of national security adviser. In the document he pointed out that not fully informed Vice-President Mike Pence and other members of the White house about his conversations with the Russian Ambassador. Acting judge appointed a retired General Keith Kellogg.
29 December 2016, the administration of Barack Obama, who was then President of the United States, announced the expulsion from the country in 72 hours 35 Russian diplomats and members and families. The White house claimed that this retaliation “the oppression of the American diplomatic representatives in Moscow from the Russian authorities.”