Russian diplomat: I can’t list Trump officials I’ve spoken with because ‘the list is so long’

Former Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak said he couldn’t name all of the officials connected to President Trump that he’s spoken with or met because “the list is so long.”

In an interview with state-owned TV station Russia-1 first reported by CNBC, Kislyak refused to name the Trump officials he’s spoken with.

“First, I’m never going to do that,” Kislyak said, according to CNBC. “And second, the list is so long that I’m not going to be able to go through it in 20 minutes.”

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Kislyak’s interview comes after contentious testimony by Attorney General Jeff Sessions before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday in which he clashed with Democrats over whether he lied under oath during his confirmation hearing when he said he had no knowledge of contacts between Trump campaign associates and Russia.

“That is exactly the opposite answer you gave under oath to the U.S. Senate,” said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.). “Either you’re lying to the U.S. Senate or you’re lying to the U.S. House of Representatives.” 

“My story has never changed,” Sessions shot back. “I have always told the truth.” 

During his confirmation hearing in January, Sessions told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that he was unaware of contact between Trump campaign surrogates and Russian government “intermediaries” and also said he “did not have communications with the Russians.”

But it was later revealed that Sessions met with Kislyak, then Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., twice during the 2016 campaign. Those revelations led to Sessions’s recusal from all Justice Department investigations related to Russia.

Trump himself met with Kislyak in the Oval Office in May. Kislyak left the Russian Embassy in July.