I think, Russia is pushing against the West in general, not just the United States but the institutions of the West, the key governments in the West using a variety of tools, as well as military assault on Ukraine.

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

Partisanship is not part of my professional makeup.

Diminish us across the board. They [Russians] do not wish us well.

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

Russia could be, in fact, it would have to be a different Russia, but it could be a splendid ally. I will say this for the Russians: on their - in their favor, they have the intellectual capacity and the habits of mind to act in the world on a strategic scale, and were they do to so in service of a better cause than their current set of grievances, they would be a natural partner.

Remember, the American grand strategy works when other countries feel secure. But it doesn't work if we acquiesce in the aggression of other countries.