Russia-US Relations Update: Russian Foreign Minister Calls Sessions Row A 'Witch Hunt'

Commenting on the ongoing row surrounding the newly-appointed Attorney U.S. General Jeff Sessions’ alleged connections with Sergei Kislyak — the Russian ambassador to the U.S. — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday called the allegation a witch hunt.

"Countries appoint ambassadors in order to maintain relations, this is done through meetings, conversations and contacts with state officials and legislators…I can cite a quotation circulated by the media which says that 'all this is very much reminiscent of a witch hunt,'" Lavrov told the Russian News Agency Tass.

Democrats have been calling for Sessions' resignation for lying about meetings with Russian officials while under oath during his confirmation hearings. A Washington Post article on Wednesday claimed that Sessions held a meeting with Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the U.S. between July and September 2016, while he was an Alabama Senator.

Most recently, on Thursday, Sessions recused himself from any investigations into Donald Trump's presidential campaign and its alleged contact with Russians.

"During the course of the confirmation proceedings on my nomination to be attorney general, I advised the Senate Judiciary Committee that ‘[i]f a specific matter arose where I believed my impartiality might reasonably be questioned, I would consult with Department ethics officials regarding the most appropriate way to proceed,’" Sessions said at a news conference. "Having concluded those meetings today, I have decided to recuse myself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for president of the United States."

Sessions admitted Thursday (after initially denying), that he had meet with the ambassador while adding that he'd taken no action on any investigation-related matters, "but when you evaluate the rules I feel like I am — I should not get involved investigating a campaign I had a role in," CBS News quoted him as saying.

President Donald Trump also tweeted in Sessions' defense.

Lavrov insisted that meetings between ambassadors, lawmakers, and state officials are normal practices that are important for diplomacy.

"As for accusations against Kislyak and those he met with… Our ambassador is accused of meeting with the US politicians who opposed the Obama administration. This is the essence of the accusations, to be honest," the Russian foreign minister noted. "We don’t want to act the same and we won’t do that. If we applied the same principle to (the US) Ambassador to Russia (John) Tefft, this would be real fun."