US Attorney General suspected of lying about meeting with Russian ambassador

Mr. Jeff Sessions is said to have discussed issues related to Mr. Trump's election campaign with the Russian ambassador to the US.

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Photo: Reuters.

The Washington Post reported on July 21 that Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak told his superiors in Moscow about two discussions with Sessions, including one aboutpolicy issues important to the Kremlin. Mr. Sessions was Mr. Trump’s foreign policy adviser and campaign supporter at the time.

The newspaper quoted current and former US intelligence officials, based on intercepted communications between Mr Kislyak and Moscow. One official said Mr Sessions' statements were "deceptive" and "contradicted by other evidence".

US President Donald Trump tweeted on July 22 about the Washington Post article, saying that intelligence leaks "like Comey's" must stop. He mentioned James Comey, the fired director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mr. Sessions initially did not disclose any contact he had withKislyak, but a meeting came to light in March, when the Washington Post reported that he had met Mr. Kislyak at a Republican National Convention event in Cleveland.

Mr. Sessions met him.Kislyak for the second time during the presidential campaign, this time at his Senate office in Washington. The meeting last September was not known until the Washington Post reported it in March.

At the hearing, the US Attorney General denied any campaign-related meetings with Russians. "I have no contact with the Russians," he said.

According to VNE