Ash Carter: Putin’s Defined Russia’s Interests as Ones ‘Frustrating’ To the U.S.

RUSH EXCERPT:

CARTER: "I would not say compartmentalize, but we do have to have what I call a strong, but also a balanced approach to Russia. You know, chuck, I’ll be leaving the Pentagon next Thursday. I first walked in there 35 years ago. It was the peak of the Cold War, and at that time we had serious problems with Moscow as we do now, and even then we always tried wherever possible to find common ground with Russia, and work with them then. I did that after the wall came down and worked with Russia and the Russian military very effectively and cooperatively. What’s become difficult in recent years is Russia under Putin has tended to define its interests as being ones of frustrating the United States rather than pursuing its own interests. They’re pursuing their own interests and we can look at their interests and our interests so we need a strong policy of countering Russia, but also a balanced one where we try to work with them where we can."