CIA director fights criticism after the visit of the heads of Russian intelligence

The director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Mike Pompeo, on Thursday explained the purpose of the talks with the heads of Russian intelligence that he spent last week at the headquarters of the department against the background of tensions between Washington and Moscow and political disputes because of the assumptions that Russia intervened in the US presidential election-2016.

Фото: Depositphotos

As writes edition Reuters, a US intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused Moscow of disclosing information about the meeting. In his opinion, one of Moscow’s motives for such an act is to fuel political disagreements in Washington in connection with the investigation into possible Russian interference in the elections.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer 31 January wrote to the Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, asking to clarify why American intelligence officials met with Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of Russia Sergey Naryshkin.

“We meet with the Russian side from time to time for the same reason our predecessors did—to keep America safe,” Pompeo responded to Schumer in a letter released Thursday. “There is nothing ‘inappropriate’ about these meetings,” Pompeo said.

“We are touching on very complex topics in which American and Russian interests do not coincide,” Pompeo said. “We fiercely defend America in these meetings and do not stand on ceremony—and never will.”

Photo: Facebook / Mike Pompeo Monico

The Russian embassy in Washington on Thursday did not respond to a request for comment regarding the meetings of the heads of intelligence services.

On the visit of Russian officials in the United States on Tuesday reported TASS. This post was cited on Twitter by the Russian Embassy in the United States.

The answer Pompeo did not satisfy Sumer.

“This letter answers virtually none of the questions about these visits,” Schumer spokesman Matt House tweeted.

Moscow denies the findings of American intelligence services that it organized a hacker attack on the computers of the Democratic Party and spread false information in order to help US President Donald Trump win the election. Congressional committees and a special prosecutor are investigating Russia's alleged interference. Trump denies that his headquarters has colluded with Russian officials.

In particular, Schumer inquired about how Naryshkin was able to cross the US border, being under sanctions prohibiting him from entering the country. Naryshkin blacklisted in 2014 year. The sanctions were the US response to the annexation of Crimea by Ukraine from Russia.

Sergey Evgenevich Naryshkin. Photo: wikipedia.org

Naryshkin met with the national intelligence director Coates at the headquarters of the department in the suburbs of Washington, two sources said. According to a third source, the head of the SVR met with Pompeo at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

Naryshkina was accompanied by the head of the FSB of Russia, Alexander Bortnikov, according to a source.

A spokesman for American intelligence said Riderthat “Russia did not accidentally decide to publicize” the visit after several years of hiding such meetings.

It looks like a “deliberate intent”, which “not only sowed discord in the United States, but also reinforced the assumption that they (Russia) are not internationally isolated,” said an intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The letter to Pompeo Schumer says that the meetings of Russian intelligence officers with the United States include cooperation in the fight against terrorism, in which the CIA recently helped Russia to thwart the “terrorist plan” in St. Petersburg, “which could lead to the death of the Americans” .

Read also on ForumDaily:

The head of the CIA believes that Russia will try to intervene in the November elections in the US

US Treasury: “Kremlin report” contains a secret annex

The co-author of the “Kremlin report” announced the substitution of the list

“Millions of Russians would like to get on it”: reaction to the US “Kremlin list”

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.