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RIA Novosti
Preparing to leave his post as Pentagon chief Ashton Carter said that the United States cannot normalize relations with Russia because of President Vladimir Putin. He stated this in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
According to the politician, Putin determines the success of its policy on the “degree of discomfort” supposedly created by “the rest of the world”.
“Because we are looking so hard to build bridges with Russian leaders,” complains the head of the Pentagon, whose powers come to an end after the inauguration of Donald trump.
He separately criticized Moscow for its intervention in Syria.
In Syria, according to Carter, Russia did nothing to combat the “Islamic state” (a group banned in Russia — ed.). “They are fighting against the moderate opposition and Syrian government,” he said.
Carter also noted that he had urged the new Congress and new presidential administration to continue to Fund programs aimed at assistance to the European allies of the United States to protect against “Russian intervention”.
“We will have to demonstrate in Europe, such leadership qualities, which will hold NATO together, because to divide the Alliance and to break away from that individual members one of the goals of Russia”, — he said.
The WSJ specifies that the assessment of Russia’s behavior in Syria and beyond, which gives Carter, contrasts sharply with the position of President-elect.
The Pentagon is one of many U.S. politicians who accused Russia of “saber rattling” and claimed that she allegedly represents a threat to its neighbors from a military Alliance. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera said: to imagine that a Russian attack on NATO countries, only unhealthy people.
US officials have also repeatedly stated that the Russian HQs in Syria strikes on ISIS do not, and on civilians and the moderate opposition. But neither Carter, nor anyone else, the evidence is not provided.
The Minister of foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov has previously said Russia is ready “to investigate such reports,” but no facts were not presented.