Working With, While Still Challenging Russia

The US and Russia need to come together on issues where they have similar interests, but Washington must be careful not to reward Moscow for its push into Ukraine, the former head of the US military in Europe said. Retired USAF Gen. Philip Breedlove told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday the US should consider better equipping Ukraine, including providing defensive military weaponry, to push back against Russia’s incursion into its borders. “We should not reward bad behavior,” said Breedlove, who retired last year as the head of US European Command and supreme allied commander of NATO. However, the US and Russia should work together to increase transparency in exercises, to reduce the amount of loose nuclear materials, and “find common ground” in counter terrorism. “In many ways, Russia is as worried” about threats in Afghanistan and in the Balkans as the US. “Re-establishing trust in an incremental way” is needed and the US and Russia should sit down to discuss these steps, Breedlove said.