We intend to leave it without further discussion. We respect this request by the government of Uzbekistan

If we blunt Russian efforts now to be aggressive, we may be pleasantly surprised by the policy options that become available to us, in terms of working with a better Russia.

Both the Bush people and [Barack] Obama people had no problem working with the holdovers. They weren`t out to get them.

America's sanctions policy remains intact, and it will remain intact until it changes, if it does, and I'm not sure it will.

We Americans are focused on Russia`s attacks with our electoral system and we`re consumed with that. But Russia is pushing against the West generally.

Realism is important in foreign policy. You have to be realistic about what you can achieve, and about the pitfalls, and problems along the way, of which there are plenty. Nothing is easy. It's always rough.

We should not assume that Russia is doomed to live according to its worst traditions. In fact, in Russian history, failed efforts at external aggression, when they fail, usually bring on areas of internal reform.