Trump’s Lawyer Denies Role in Secret Ukrainian Peace Deal

The New York Times reported on Sunday that Michael Cohen, Trump’s special counsel since 2007, had delivered a proposal from Ukrainian lawmaker Andrey Artemenko to former White House Security Advisor Micheal Flynn.

Artemenko’s proposal allegedly said that Russia should be allowed to keep the annexed Crimean peninsula in return for ensuring peace in eastern Ukraine. It also said that the United States should lift sanctions on Moscow, the New York Times reported.

Cohen confirmed that he had met Artemenko in New York last month, but denied delivering any kind of letter on his behalf.

“I acknowledge that the brief meeting took place, but emphatically deny discussing this topic or delivering any documents to the White House and or General Flynn,” Cohen told NBC news on Monday. “I didn’t see General Flynn while I was at the White House, and I didn’t spend two seconds talking about this, not even one second.”

He said that the meeting had been arranged by a long-time friend and Trump supporter Felix Sater, and that he had been paid to attend.

“I’ve known Felix for years,” Cohen said. “I received a phone call: ‘Hey Mike, you have a few minutes? Can I meet you for coffee? You mind if I bring a friend?’ Little did I know it would be a guy who wants to run for president of Ukraine.”

Read More: Russia Accused of Backing Montenegro Coup