Russia's top diplomat at center of Trump controversy

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration's back-to-back controversies over its Russian ties now have at least one thing in common: Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

A Washington fixture with a sprawling network, Moscow's top diplomat in the U.S. has emerged as the central figure in the investigations into Trump advisers' connections with Russia.

In a matter of weeks, contact with Kislyak led to the firing of a top adviser to the president and, on Thursday, prompted calls for the attorney general to resign.

Observers note Kislyak is a somewhat unlikely figure to cause controversy.

Over the course of a long diplomatic career, he's led the life of a somewhat typical global envoy — making himself a reliable presence on the circuit of receptions, teas and forums that make up the calendar of any ambassador.