Speaking to students Wednesday at Oxford University, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter had harsh words for Russian Federation.
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On Wednesday, Carter said that despite the exit vote, the US continues to view the U.K.as a key ally and partner in security operations in places like Iraq.
Later at a news conference in London, Carter said that Kerry would not be making another try with Lavrov if there were no prospect for success.
A good place to start would be for Russian Federation, an ally of Syria, to help the USA take the necessary steps to achieve a ceasefire and political transition in that country, he added.
“We don’t seek an enemy in Russia”, Carter said, according to various media.
On the relationship between two U.S. allies fighting ISIS in Syria – Turkey and the Syrian Kurds – he acknowledged they “don’t get along”.
Carter noted that the US hasn’t had to worry about deterrence in Eastern Europe for more than 25 years. He said Moscow understandably wants to be seen as an important world power, but is undercutting its case by undercutting the work of others.
“Let me be clear. But make no mistake – we will defend our allies, the principled global order, and the positive future it affords all of us”, Carter said in an address to students at Oxford University.
“We will counter attempts to undermine our collective security and will not ignore attempts to interfere with our democratic (voting) processes”.
A key way to doing so, he said, is for each side to have operational awareness of the other – “to know exactly what they’re doing, and for us to establish the way with them, ways that they can not interfere with one another in the pursuit of their separate objectives”. “And that’s in addition, of course, to the two brigades the United States already has stationed in Europe”, Carter said.
Asked whether he had been referring specifically to the US presidential election, he said: “It’s not a concern in the United States only; it’s a common concern” throughout Europe.
Carter is due to meet Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman during his trip to the UK.
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“The United States is taking a strong and balanced approach to address Russian actions and deter Russian aggression against our allies”, Carter said at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford.
