Trump aides linked to Russia
I cannot say . . . all of them (members of Trump's inner circle) , but a whole series of them were staying in touch with Russian representatives." Sergei Ryabkov
RUSSIA: Donald Trump’s team kept the lines of contact open with Russian officials throughout the presidential election campaign, it was claimed yesterday, raising fresh questions over his relationship with the Kremlin.
Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, told the Interfax news agency: ‘‘Clearly, most of those people who are said to be members of his close circle are known to us. These are people who have always been in the limelight in the US, who occupied high-ranking positions.
‘‘I cannot say . . . all of them, but a whole series of them were staying in touch with Russian representatives.’’
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the foreign ministry, confirmed that Russian embassy staff met members of Trump’s campaign, telling Bloomberg News that it was ‘‘normal practice’’.
She said that Hillary Clinton’s campaign team had refused similar requests for meetings.
Trump’s policy on Russia has come under scrutiny after he expressed admiration for President Vladimir Putin’s rule. Paul Manafort, who was hired
his campaign manager, as resigned in August after revelations about his lobbying work for Ukraine’s ousted president, Viktor Yanukovych, a Kremlin ally.
A series of cyber attacks on the Democratic Party, which played in favour of the Trump campaign, are also thought to have originated in Moscow.
Critics portrayed the Republican as Putin’s stooge. In one presidential debate Clinton accused her rival of being the Russian leader’s puppet.
Putin was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump, saying that he hoped the two could work together to ‘‘bring Russianamerican relations out of a critical situation’’.
The Kremlin could seek to exploit Trump’s criticism of Nato after he hinted the US would only support member states that were ‘‘paying their bills’’.
He has also sent mixed signals over the Ukraine crisis, saying in July that he would consider whether Washington should recognise Russian control over Crimea.
Diplomats in Brussels fear that if Trump begins a rapprochement with Putin after his inauguration in January, it could weaken resolve for western sanctions to be renewed against Moscow over the war in Ukraine, where Russiabacked rebels have seized territory and are fighting government troops.
While many politicians and experts in Moscow are cautious, there is hope in the capital that Trump will establish warm relations and recognise Russia as a global power.
Sergei Glazyev, an adviser to Putin, said in a radio interview on Wednesday: ‘‘Objectively, the Americans had two choices: either world war or agreement to a multipolar world. Clinton was a symbol of world war; Trump has a chance to change that situation. A reset of relations with Russia is inevitable.’’
The FBI has spent several months scrutinising possible connections between advisers of Trump and Russian financial figures, but concluded at the end of last month that there was no conclusive or direct link between him and the Russian government, according to The New York Times.
Speaking of the interaction with Trump’s team, Ryabkov said: ‘‘We are doing this and we have been doing so during the election campaign.’’
He said Russia would seek to expand its contact with the president-elect.
‘‘We’ve also started working on building dialogue with the future Donald Trump administration, and what channels will be used for that.’’
The Kremlin appears keen to hint that it had the power to influence the US elections without officially admitting to interference.
Russian social media is flooded with memes such as an image of Putin signing an order to appoint Trump as his representative in Russia’s ‘‘North-american federal district’’.
A spokesman for Putin has said there were no immediate plans for him to meet Trump or speak by telephone. - The Times