Kremlin Refrains from Commenting on Michael Flynn’s Sacking

His removal was bad news for Russia/US bilateral relations – perhaps ending chances for improving them.

Moscow so far withheld comment. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Monday’s sacking a US “internal affair, an issue for the Trump administration, and not our business.”

Regarding US sanctions, Peskov explained the Kremlin “has been repeatedly commenting on that, so we have no more to say.” He declined to either confirm or deny reports on whether the issue was discussed with administration officials.

It’s too early to talk about prospective Russia/US relations, he added. “Let us not forget after all that the Trump team has not been (fully) formed yet,” he explained.

No agreements were reached on meetings between Russian and US officials, including a possible Putin/Trump summit later this year.

Russia’s lower house State Duma International Affairs Committee chairman Leonid Slutsky was more outspoken on Flynn’s removal, fearing it may have a “damaging effect” on bilateral relations – calling it a “negative signal for the improving Russian-US dialogue.”

“We will see how the situation develops,” he added. Flynn’s sacking is bad news for bilateral relations. Upper House Federation Council Senator Aleksey Pushkov pointedly said the target of his ousting was US “relations with Russia.”