Moscow demands ‘clear explanation’ of US charges against Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya
- Veselnitskaya is at the centre of the Russia scandal rocking the US presidency, after she met with Donald Trump Jr
Moscow on Friday criticised the US indictment of Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya who met with officials from Donald Trump’s election campaign in 2016, demanding Washington explain the charges against her.
“We expect a clear and articulate explanation from Washington” of the charges, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, adding that “criminal cases based on unclear claims” against Russians in the United States have become a “habit” for US justice.
Zakharova said it seemed like Washington is out for “revenge” against Veselnitskaya, who is at the centre of the Russia scandal rocking the US presidency, after she met with Donald Trump Jr who was seeking to get information on the Hillary Clinton campaign.
Trump Jr said nothing came of the meeting as it was focused on adoptions of Russian orphans. Veselnitskaya denied meddling in election issues and said the meeting was a waste of time.
The indictment this week said she had fabricated evidence in a 2013 case filed in the US against Russian firm Prevezon holdings, which was allegedly involved in a US$230 million tax fraud scheme in Moscow exposed by crusading lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.