US Secretary of Defense James Mattis accused Russia of aggressive behavior and violation of international stability. He said this at a Thursday press conference after the NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels, - Interfax-Ukraina informs.
"Russia’s aggressive actions violated international law and stability. We discussed in detail the whole strategic situation in which the alliance is", - he said.
"Many allies realize that 2014 was the year which made the allies face of the new reality. My message to allies was simple: NATO was created for strategic necessity and should evolve into a new strategic reality. Our community of nations is under a threat, which comes from different sides, " - the Pentagon chief said, referring to the situation in the east of the alliance, cyber-attacks and international terrorism emanating from North Africa and the Middle East.
"Now I can say that I have little doubt about the fact that Russia interfered or attempted to interfere in the election process of a number of democratic countries," - Mattis added.
The head of the Pentagon said the United States see the need for political cooperation with Russia. "We would like to cooperate with Russia politically, but we do not want to interact with Russia in military terms for now," - he said.
"First, Russia will have to prove that it can be trusted, and keep the promises it gave to NATO", - he noted.
"Our allies will continue to negotiate and try to find a compromise, but will also discuss how to reach Russia’s fulfillment of its obligations and its return to cooperation with NATO", - Mattis added.
As reported earlier, US intelligence agencies issued a report on the Russian intervention in the electoral campaign of the United States with the help of computer hacking. Later, some US media have released information about Russia allegedly having compromising material on President-elect Donald Trump.