President Donald Trump's National Security Strategy demonstrates that the administration has taken a tough position on Russia, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

 

"We have been tough on Russia, we have put sanctions on Russia, we have imported energy and impacted them in a big way. The president has not been soft in this process," Sanders said. "Those things were included in the National Security Strategy."

 

However, the US president did not use the same language with respect to Russia during a speech in which he unveiled the new strategy.

Sarah Sanders said Trump has been clear about his approach to Russia and did not need to read every word from the strategy in order to make his views known.

 

The strategy named Russian and Chinese ambitions, the nuclear and missile potential of Iran and North Korea, and international terrorism as key threats to US and global security.

 

In his speech, Trump said the United States would pursue a "great partnership" with China and Russia, but would do so in a manner that protects US national security.

 

Icmal.Az