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| Pompeo and Lavrov clash over Russian election interference in news conference at State Department | Pompeo and Lavrov clash over Russian election interference in news conference at State Department |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Secretary of State Mike Pompeo clashed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a news conference on Tuesday as the Kremlin’s top diplomat denied any evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and Pompeo declared that it happened and “it’s unacceptable.” | |
| The exchange happened just before Lavrov’s scheduled meeting with President Trump at the White House and after House Democrats unveiled two articles of impeachment against Trump over his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals and a debunked conspiracy theory about the 2016 election. | The exchange happened just before Lavrov’s scheduled meeting with President Trump at the White House and after House Democrats unveiled two articles of impeachment against Trump over his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals and a debunked conspiracy theory about the 2016 election. |
| Pompeo and Lavrov both stated their support for an improvement in U.S.-Russia relations despite broad disagreement between the two powers on an array of issues from Venezuela to Syria to Ukraine. | Pompeo and Lavrov both stated their support for an improvement in U.S.-Russia relations despite broad disagreement between the two powers on an array of issues from Venezuela to Syria to Ukraine. |
| Pompeo said that the bilateral relationship is “complicated” but that the two countries discussed arms control issues and made progress on “economic” cooperation that would be announced “before too terribly long.” | |
| Pompeo said he conveyed to Lavrov that the United States will not tolerate Russian interference in U.S. elections. “I was clear — it’s unacceptable,” he said. | Pompeo said he conveyed to Lavrov that the United States will not tolerate Russian interference in U.S. elections. “I was clear — it’s unacceptable,” he said. |
| Lavrov said Russia has demanded the United States provide evidence of election interference, but when asked by a reporter why he doesn’t simply “read the Mueller report,” Lavrov dismissed the suggestion. | Lavrov said Russia has demanded the United States provide evidence of election interference, but when asked by a reporter why he doesn’t simply “read the Mueller report,” Lavrov dismissed the suggestion. |
| “We read it. There is no proof of any collusion,” he said, speaking through an interpreter. | “We read it. There is no proof of any collusion,” he said, speaking through an interpreter. |
| While special counsel Robert S. Mueller III did not establish a conspiracy between Russia and members of the Trump campaign, his office did issue an indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officers for the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign. | While special counsel Robert S. Mueller III did not establish a conspiracy between Russia and members of the Trump campaign, his office did issue an indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officers for the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign. |
| In response to Lavrov’s calls for more evidence, Pompeo said this was unnecessary. | In response to Lavrov’s calls for more evidence, Pompeo said this was unnecessary. |
| “We think we’ve shared plenty of facts to show what happened in the 2016 election with our Russian counterparts. We don’t think there’s any mistake about what really transpired there,” he said. | “We think we’ve shared plenty of facts to show what happened in the 2016 election with our Russian counterparts. We don’t think there’s any mistake about what really transpired there,” he said. |
| Pompeo also said he raised the issue of Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine detained by Moscow on spying charges since 2018. | Pompeo also said he raised the issue of Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine detained by Moscow on spying charges since 2018. |
| Lavrov said that an investigation into Whelan finished in September and that the matter was making its way through the courts. He suggested concerns about Whelan’s health were not credible. | |
| “We are acting in full compliance with our laws and with the international norms that can be applied in this case,” he said. | “We are acting in full compliance with our laws and with the international norms that can be applied in this case,” he said. |
| He also expressed an interest in renewing the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as New START, but said Moscow has not received a proposal from the United States. | He also expressed an interest in renewing the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as New START, but said Moscow has not received a proposal from the United States. |
| Pompeo expressed his desire to include China in the arms talks with Russia, even though Beijing has said that it will not participate given that Moscow and Washington have significantly larger nuclear arsenals. Lavrov noted China’s concerns but said Russia is open to a trilateral arrangement. | |
| Lavrov’s visit followed a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris, where the two leaders agreed to implement a “full and comprehensive” cease-fire in eastern Ukraine by the end of the year. | |
| Some Trump administration critics said the White House should have invited Zelensky to Washington instead of granting Lavrov an Oval Office visit. The United States is the principal backer of Ukraine in its territorial conflict with Russia. The former U.S. ambassador to Moscow in the Obama administration, Michael McFaul, said he hoped the “horrible symbolism” was “just a mistake and not on purpose.” | Some Trump administration critics said the White House should have invited Zelensky to Washington instead of granting Lavrov an Oval Office visit. The United States is the principal backer of Ukraine in its territorial conflict with Russia. The former U.S. ambassador to Moscow in the Obama administration, Michael McFaul, said he hoped the “horrible symbolism” was “just a mistake and not on purpose.” |
| When asked whether the visit provides bad optics amid the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told Fox News that the dialogue is “critical to America’s well-being.” | |
| “The president talked about and campaigned about having a better relationship with Russia. So did the Democrats, for that matter. It’s incumbent on any American president to build better relationships across the globe,” he said. | “The president talked about and campaigned about having a better relationship with Russia. So did the Democrats, for that matter. It’s incumbent on any American president to build better relationships across the globe,” he said. |
| Lavrov’s last visit to Washington in 2017 ended in controversy after the Russian Embassy in Washington released images of him and other U.S. officials smiling and shaking hands in the Oval Office. The Russian delegation was allowed to bring a photographer in the room from the state news agency Tass, while U.S. photojournalists were barred entry to the meeting. | |
| The meeting came a day after Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey, who was leading the investigation into the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russian officials. Trump reportedly told Lavrov that Comey was “crazy” and a “real nut job.” | The meeting came a day after Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey, who was leading the investigation into the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russian officials. Trump reportedly told Lavrov that Comey was “crazy” and a “real nut job.” |
| U.S. officials later revealed that Trump disclosed highly classified information to Lavrov in the meeting that related to a critical source of intelligence on the Islamic State. | U.S. officials later revealed that Trump disclosed highly classified information to Lavrov in the meeting that related to a critical source of intelligence on the Islamic State. |
| Anne Gearan contributed to this report. | Anne Gearan contributed to this report. |