Russian lawmakers came out in defense of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, saying his resignation is the result of “Russophobia” in the White House.
Flynn resigned Monday following reports he gave “incomplete information” to Vice President Mike Pence about a conversation he had with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. (RELATED: Flynn Resigns From NSC After Misleading VP On Russia Sanctions)
Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the foreign affairs committee in Russia’s upper house, suggested President Donald Trump hasn’t gained independence to operate as president.
“Either Mr Trump has not gained the requisite independence and he is consequently being not unsuccessfully backed into a corner, or Russophobia has already infected the new administration also from top to bottom,” Kosachev wrote on Facebook, according to The Associated Press.
Kosachev added that he regarded Flynn as one of few U.S. officials who were “open to dialogue.”
“Even that is perceived in Washington as a thought crime,” Kosachev said.
Leonid Slutsky, the chairman of foreign affairs in Russia’s lower house, said the resignation has a “provocative character.”
“The situation around Michael Flynn’s ousting as national security advisor has a provocative character,” Slutsky told reporters, according to The Telegraph. “Of course, it leads us to the conclusion that the real target was Russian-American relations and undermining trust in the new administration.”
The Kremlin declined to comment on the resignation, calling it an internal matter.
“We’ve said everything we want to say,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
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