The White House does not rule out putting pressure on Russia.
White House Security Adviser says US-Russia interaction could develop, but Washington could put pressure on Moscow.
According to RIA Novosti, White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz expressed confidence that cooperation between the US and Russia could develop into a "broad relationship", but did not rule out the possibility of Washington putting pressure on Moscow in an effort to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
In an interview on Fox News about the possibility of the US pressuring Russia to reach an agreement with Ukraine, Mr. Mike Waltz said that the question is whether Russia wants to continue the conflict or "a progress in the relationship and a return to stability and growth for their economy and their people."
“I’m not going to get ahead of President Trump, he said that such an approach is possible, and there are other broader relationships with Russia,” White House adviser Mike Waltz added, when asked about the possibility of new sanctions against Russia.
Mr. Waltz added that Washington had listened to the statements from Russia and did not see them as a negative reaction to the proposed ceasefire in the conflict in Ukraine.
“We know who we are dealing with on each side and we will use diplomacy, including sanctions and incentives, to bring both sides to the table and have a lasting, sustainable solution,” Mr. Waltz said.
The US is reviewing many components of a settlement agreement, according to the White House security adviser.
“We are looking very carefully at what needs to be done not just to end the fighting immediately but also in a broader way: How do we restore trade in the Black Sea, how do we end the airstrikes on infrastructure. And then what are the components of a broader agreement that are needed to end the war completely,” Mr. Waltz said.
Earlier, the US President's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in response to a request for comment on accusations in Europe about Moscow's lack of sincerity in the Ukraine issue, stated that such assessments were made without accurate information and were inconsistent with the constructive mood he observed during contacts with the Russian delegation.
