Arms control on tap for Trump, Pompeo
Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov visits to discuss arms control, Ukraine and Syria in Tuesday meetings.
WASHINGTON >> President Donald Trump met Tuesday with the Russian foreign minister at the White House just hours after articles of impeachment were unveiled against him and a day after a Justice Department watchdog report declared the FBI was justified in opening an investigation into ties between Moscow and Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Washington, his first since May 2017, was overshadowed by the introduction of Ukraine-related impeachment articles by the House and Trump’s complaints about the watchdog’s report.
Lavrov met earlier in the day with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who warned against Russian interference in U.S. elections. Lavrov repeated denials of Russian interference, calling them “baseless.” Special counsel Robert Mueller, who took over the Trump-Russia investigation from the FBI, determined that Russia interfered in the election in an effort to help Trump beat his 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.
“I was clear: It’s unacceptable, and I made our expectations of Russia clear,” Pompeo said of election interference. “The Trump administration will always work to protect the integrity of our elections. Period. Should Russia or any foreign actor take steps to undermine our democratic processes, we will take action in response.”
Lavrov derided the “wave of suspicions that has overcome Washington” related to election interference, renewing demands that evidence of such activity be given to Moscow.
“All speculation about our alleged interference in domestic processes of the United States is baseless,” Lavrov said. “No one has given us this proof because it simply does not exist.” He raised an oft-repeated Russian proposal to release confidential communications with the U.S. to resolve the concerns in 2016 that he said the Obama administration rebuffed.
Pompeo did not appear impressed by Lavrov’s offer and said the U.S. had already published its conclusions. “We don’t think there is any mistake about what transpired,” he said of the finding.
Pompeo and Lavrov also discussed arms control agreements, Ukraine, Syria and Venezuela. The two noted cooperation in counterterrorism and antinarcotics efforts that has continued despite the tensions and expressed hope that shared goals for North Korea and Iran could be realized.
But, they also acknowledged that their differences are significant and include the New START arms control treaty that is due to expire next year and the tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats by both countries.
On the treaty, Russian President Vladimir Putin favors an extension of the pact, but Trump has said he wants China included if it is to be extended. Lavrov noted that Beijing has said it isn’t interested in joining but reiterated Moscow’s desire to keep the deal alive.
Lavrov’s last meeting with Trump took place shortly after the president fired FBI Director James Comey, a move that the Republican president later said was made because of the Russia investigation.
Earlier Tuesday, Trump attacked Comey’s replacement, Christopher Wray, whom he handpicked for the job, for agreeing with the inspector general’s conclusion that the Russia probe was not politically motivated. Trump repeatedly has alleged that it was.
Ahead of the meeting, Trump ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said the president should tell Russia that if it meddles in the 2020 election, the bilateral “relationship is going to be over in a permanent way. Call Russia out for what they’re doing, inside of Syria, try to get them to stop being so disruptive in Syria.”
The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Eliot Engel, DN.Y., expressed doubt that Trump would demand accountability from the Russians.