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CNN: Russian ambassador considered by US intelligence to be spy

02 March 2017 10:27 (UTC +04:00)

Attorney General Jeff Sessions met twice last year with the top Russian diplomat in Washington whose interactions with President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Mike Flynn led to Flynn's firing, according to the Justice Department, according to the CNN.

Sessions did not mention either meeting during his confirmation hearings when he said he knew of no contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians. A Justice official said Sessions didn't mislead senators during his confirmation.

The Washington Post first reported on Sessions' meetings with the official.

Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, is considered by US intelligence to be one of Russia's top spies and spy-recruiters in Washington, according to current and former senior US government officials.

Sessions met with Kislyak twice, in July on the sidelines of the Republican convention, and in September in his office when Sessions was a member of the Senate Armed Services committee. Sessions was an early Trump backer and regular surrogate for him as a candidate.

Sessions responded swiftly Wednesday, strongly stating that he never discussed campaign-related issues with anyone from Russia.

"I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign," he said in a statement. "I have no idea what this allegation is about. It is false."

Key Democratic lawmakers immediately called for Sessions' resignation after the news broke.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi characterized Sessions' comments in his confirmation "apparent perjury," and said the attorney general should resign.

Kislyak's potential proximity to Russian spying is one reason why Flynn's interactions with him, and Flynn's failure to disclose what he discussed with Kislyak, raised concerns among intelligence officials.

In his confirmation hearing to become attorney general, Sessions was asked about Russia and he responded at the time that he "did not have communications with the Russians."