It is 5 00 a. M. On the u. S. East coast. Were less than a week away now from the transition of power in the u. S. That will make donald trump the nations 45th president. But now were also learning much more about his possible plans toward russia. In an hour long interview donald trump suggested to the wall street journal that he is open to lifting sanctions on russia but he also said that he would keep those sanction in place for at least appear idea of time. The u. S. Placed those additional sanctions on russia just last month for alleged hacking during the u. S. President ial election. Intelligence agencies that say that russia ordered the hacks in order to help donald trump win the election. The Senate IntelligenceCommittee Plans to not only look into russias alleged medaling but to investigate whether there were contacts between moscow and the president ial campaigns. There have been a lot of questions across washington. Whats the next step in the waik of the explosive u. S. Intelligence report that russia meddled in the elections. The u. S. Select committee will be holding a bipartisan investigation into the russian intelligence activities. Its important the scope of this investigation. Because its not narrow. Its not just looking into the u. S. Intelligence assessment, a declassified version we have seen. Its delving deep into potential ties between russian Intelligent Services and the campaign. Specifically while the committee isnt saying this, the trump campaign, the president elects team will be under review for any potential contacts between them and russians or russian middlemen. Why does this matter . Obviously a powerful committee looking into the campaign could produce answers that we simply havent gotten up to this point. The lawmakers who have been briefed in the course of the 48 hours about the version of this report have come out saying there are more questions that need to be answered, questions that werent answered in the declassified report. That could be what this nfls gags ends up bringing to if forefro forefront. Theyll be looking into the potential Campaign Activities and holding hearings, interviewing key members of the campaigns of the Incoming Administration and of the outgoing administration. If those interview requests are not come played with, this committee has subpoena power to compel individuals to sit down for interviews. For people wondering what the next step is, where this goes from here, this is an answer an explosive and powerful one depending on how the investigation is held. Well get answer to that soon, answers that everybody is looking for in the wake of the last couple of weeks. Phil matting live, cnn capitol hill. Perhaps some of those answers will help trump determine how he handles russia. Trump said he want flexibility. He said, if you get along and russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebody is doing some really great things, president elect donald trump. Trump also says hes prepared to meet with the russian president himself. Vladimir putin. More now live in moscow. Fred plankton is following the story. Fair to say theres some mixed messages coming out of washington. How is this being perceived there in russia . Reporter you know, its interesting. It seems as though the kremlin at this point in time is trying to do everything to make sure that the relations dont sour before Donald Trump Takes Office. Its been interesting to see the reactions here, to see the russian government saying look, weer going to see what happens when he takes office. Were going to wait and see what happens when he comes into office and certainly anything thats said before that is not something that we can control or something we want to comment about. It was interesting because they heard Rex Tillerson at his confirmation hearings talking about that but look, thats something es saying beforehand and not necessarily something hes going to reflect once he takes office. Russia is taking a wait and see approach here. But the sanctions, not just the ones that were leveed because of the annexatioelection but also annexation of crimea. How crippling have the sanctions before for the average person. Reporter russia was um porting a lot of things from europe before these sanctions went into effect, german cars, milk and cheese products. Its put a strain on a lot of people. A lot of things arent as available and a lot of things are more expensive. Its hurt russias exports as well. Its had a financial effect with a lot of bangs being sanctioned, a lot of individuals not being able to get back on the individual financial market. A lot of people want to sanctions to go away. But at the same time, one of the things it hasnt happened is it certainly hasnt hurt the Approval Ratings of Vladimir Putin. Much still support his policies in syria and ukraine as well. It hasnt hurt him from that perspective. One of the things that the russians want, they want the sanction to go away but at the same time it really hasnt hurt the Political Class if you will in this country. There was a Conference Call earlier this week with the spokesman for the kremlin where he was asked, look, do the americans need to get rid of the sanctions bf you have talks and improving relations. He said absolutely not. Theyre willing to talk under any circumstances. But one of the believes here is that if the americans soften up their stance on the sanctions, that possibly European Countries would follow suit as well. That is the question. We will see after january 20th. Fred plankton live in moscow. Thank you. In the meantime, a member of the Senate ForeignRelations Committee is focusing in on trumps pick for National Security adviser saying that mike flynns call to russias ambassador to the u. S. Is quote suspicious. That phone call happened the same day president obama announced the russian sanctions. Jim sciutto has more on this story. Confirmation that president elect trumps National Security adviser general Michael Flynn was in contact with the Russian Ambassador to the u. S. The very same day the Obama Administrationry nounsed retaliation for russias unprecedented cyberattack of the 2016 election. In late december the Trump Transition Team said that flynn and the Russian Ambassador exchanged a series of Text Messages and a phone call. On Christmas Day flynn texted the Russian Ambassador, quote i want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. I look forward to working with you. I wish you all of the best. The ambassador texted back, wishing him a Merry Christmas. Then the Russian Ambassador texted him saying, i would like to give you a call. May i . That phone call happened on december 29, the same day that u. S. Leveled sanctions. Trumps Transition Team said they did not discuss sanctions on russia. Their focus was on arranging a call between Vladimir Putin and president elect trump after the inauguration. The white house says its reaction depends. I would imagine why these kinds of interactions may take place, why the incoming National Security adviser may have the need to contact the representative of a Foreign Government thats based here in washington, d. C. Depends on what they disqudsed. Depends on what he said in terms of whether or not we would have objections about those conversations. Flynns tie to russia have been scrutinized since the moment trump tapped him. Flip was seated next to president putin in a russia media gala in 2015 and had a paid speaking team with russia today, the kremlins tv network. Trump again denied claims that russia has compromising information on him and continued to accuse the intelligence chiefs of leaking the allegations. He tweeted, it was probably released by intelligence in quotes even knowing there is no proof and never will be. A transition official tells cnn that there is not frequent contact between flynn and the Russian Ambassador and there was no discussion of the new Obama Administration sanctions on russia in that december 29th phone call, the same day that the sanctions were being imposed. Jim sciutto, cnn washington trump has left open the question of whether hell keep james comey on as the fbi director. And now comey is facing renewed scrutiny, this time by members of congress. He held a confidential briefing with house lawmakers on friday on russias alleged hacking in the president ial election. It did very little to satisfy some of those democrats. Listen. Its classified and we cant tell you anything. All i can tell you is that the fbi director has no credibility. The justice departments Inspector General in the meantime is investigating comeys handling of the clinton email probe. Democrats are still furious over husband decision to send a letter just before the november election alerting congress that he was renewing that investigation. The probe ultimately found clinton did not act illegally. Lets bring in cnn politics reporter eugene scott live from washington. A lot of topics to talk about. As it seems every day its almost episodic. Lets talk about donald trump and his response to the democrats over their frustrations with the fbi. Donald trump tweeted this, what are Hillary Clintons people complaining about with respect to the fbi . Based on the information they had, she never should have been allowed to run. Guilty as hell he says, they were very nice to her. She lost because she campaigned in the wrong states. Eugene, it does seem that the president elect is still focusing on the campaign. He certainly is but hes not focusing on two very important points. One, its not just the democrats who are expressing frustration with the fbi and how they handled the 2016 election related to investigations into Hillary Clintons emails as well as hacking from the russian government. Its republicans as well. And what the president elect rarely mentions is that u. S. Intelligence agencies discovered that it wasnt just Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National committee that were hacked. The republican National Committee was hacked as well. Wikileaks just decided not to release those emails. So until he completely understands what his critics are frustrated with, its doubtful that hell be able to address these issues in a sufficient way. Lets talk now about trumps cabinet picks, many of them during the hearings, theyve indicated that their views on russia, on trade, many topic, they see things differently than the person they will soon follow as commander in chief. The president elect had this to say though about the division among the ranks. Lets listen. We want them to be themselves. I told them, be yourselves and say what you want the say. Dont worry about me. And im going to do the right thing, whatever it is. I may be right and they may be right. But i said be yourselves. I could have said do this, say that. I dont want that. I want them all to be themselves. Donald trump saying they may be right or he may be right. Hes open to that difference of opinion, the debate he could have among these people that will be in his close circle. Many of trumps critics embrace diversity even in ideology. But many would like to hear clear vision especially those affects the American People the most. Yesterday or earlier this week we saw secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson confess that he and donald trump have not had very detailed conversations regarding global affairs. Given whats happening right now in russia and syria and other parts of the world related to hacking and terrorism and other global issues such as trade, one would think this is a conversation that the president elect would have prioritized more by now. Another topic that is delicate for donald trump, the question about whether he won that election fair and square or whether the alleged russian meddling, whether that helped him win the election. Its a question that goes to the heart of the issue of legitimacy. Listen to what congressman john lewis had to say about the delicate issue for the president elect to meet the press. I dont see the president elect as a legitimate president. You do not consider him a legitimate president. Why is that . I think the russians participated in helping this man get elected and they have destroyed the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. Eugene the question here moving forward, how does this look, what signs can we see, signals can we get from this with democrats and their relationship with the republicans and the president elect . John lewis is the third democratic lawmaker in the last month who has said he will be boycotting the inauguration, and not just protests of Donald Trumps policies, but the role of russia in the 2016 election. I think for many of them, what they would like to see is donald trump address what happened in a way that suggests that hes deeply frustrated with russia and he will do all that he can to prevent the government from getting involved in future elections and not just the u. S. , the allies as well. Whether donald trump will actually do that, its not really clear especially since hes not been aggressive in pushing back on this as they would like. Eugene scott live in washington. Thank you. Thank you. Still ahead here on newsroom, president obamas parting vote og confidence to nato. How russia is responding to new american troops on the ground in poland. Just ahead. And 18 years after this baby sis disappeared from the hospital, the woman she thought was her mother charged with kidnapping. Its a remarkable story. Well have it here as cnn newsroom continues. And what does it do if you make a mistake . Or the irs sends you a letter . Forget the computer. Go with a Jackson Hewitt tax pro. My advice for looking get your beauty sleep. And use aveeno® absolutely ageless® night cream with active naturals® blackberry complex. Younger looking skin can start today. Absolutely ageless® from aveeno®. Unlewith loreals newdcat feline mascara felines new quickcharge brush captures every lash. 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The attack left dozens of people dead. The suspected gunman has yet to be caught. The biggest deployment of american troops to europe since the cold war is set to happen in poland in three hours from now. Atika shubert is following this story. Its good to have you with us. First of all, this is a move thats been made under the current president , barack obama. Its described as defensive in nature to support nato though russia sees this very differently. Reporter yes. I mean the timing of this is very interesting. This was agreed to last year. Eastern european allies like poland said they needed to see more of a military presence as a bulwark against russian aggression. Many of the Eastern European allies here watched in horror as russia conducted it not so cold war in ukraine, the annexation of crimea. Thats why were seeing the buildup of troops now. Its interesting that its happening before president elect donald trump is inaugurated. This may be a way for example for to commit the United States to this policy in nato. What were looking at is four battalions of 1,000 soldiers each being moved in as well as more than 2,000 pieces of military hardware, tanks and armored car vehicles. Its part of the third armored Brigade Infantry team normally based out of ft. Carson, colorado. Theyll be based here in poland for the next nine months. Then theyll be rotated out to other eastern European Countries such as lithuania, bulgaria just to name a few. Rush has said said that russia sees this as a threat, especially since they consider this a military buildup near their borders. This concern about whether these troops will stay or whether they will be asked to return, is that a big issue though with the incoming president elect . Reporter well, it is an issue. Hes clearly said that he wants to improve relations with russia. And the military buildup we see here is something that russia is not happy with. It is a thorn in the side of the relationship. So the question is how will this begin. What about the troops here . Poland has made it very clear that its welcoming the troops. The welcoming ceremony well see in a few hours with the polish mi