U.S. National Security Advisor Flynn's resignation sends negative message for Russian-U.S. dialogue - Russian MP Slutsky
MOSCOW. Feb 14 (Interfax) - The resignation of U.S. President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor Michael Flynn comes as a negative message for relations between Russia and the United States, Russian State Duma international affairs committee head Leonid Slutsky said.
"The very situation surrounding the resignation of the U.S. president's National Security Advisor Michael Flynn is provocative in nature. It is kind of a negative signal for normalizing the Russian-American dialogue," Slutsky was quoted as saying by his press service on Tuesday.
Flynn had to tender his resignation because he came under certain pressure, Slutsky said. The U.S. president accepted his resignation, he said.
"The pretext that was chosen was contacts with the ambassador of the Russian Federation, although it is routine diplomatic practice. Under such circumstance, it is hard to escape the conclusion that the target was Russian-American relations, to undermine trust toward the new American administration. We shall see how the situation unfolds further," Slutsky said.
Flynn stepped down after it was revealed that he had misinformed Vice-President Mike Pence and other high-ranking White House officials about his communications with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak.
The White House press service said that retired Gen. Joseph Kellogg was named President Trump's acting national security advisor.