MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Kremlin does not make comments on appointments to positions in the US Administration but merely monitors Washington’s steps to shape its stance in relations with Russia, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media when asked about the appointment of Lieutenant-General Herbert Raymond McMaster as presidential national security adviser.
"This is not a question for us to answer. The appointment of members of the US presidential team cannot be interpreted in Moscow in any way. That’s a prerogative of the US president. It is important for us to see how our relations will be built and the attitude Washington itself takes," he said.
Congratulations to our new National Security Advisor, General H.R. McMaster. Video: https://t.co/BKn9r225Kk pic.twitter.com/VBXcJ1b6Pv
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 21 February 2017
"Moscow has been rather patiently watching the American counterparts in the process of forming their position," he said, adding that the first contacts between Moscow and Washington at the foreign minister level had already taken place.
"We are waiting for the further march of events," he said.
US President Donald Trump earlier appointed Lieutenant-General Herbert Raymond McMaster, 54, as his national security adviser. Before that McMaster was deputy head of the Command of the US Army.
Trump’s previous national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was forced to resign after The Washington Post disclosed the details of his conversation with the Russian ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak over anti-Russian sanctions. Flynn said his conversation with the Russian ambassador concerned the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the United States. He pointed out he had merely mentioned the very instance of the expulsion and remarked that the situation required further scrutiny. It was the first resignation from a post in the yet-to-be finalized Trump administration.