Russia Friend Tillerson Adopts Tough Line on Moscow - Military Times

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Russia Friend Tillerson Adopts Tough Line on Moscow

Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson accompanied by Sen. Ted Cruz speaks on Capitol Hill, Jan. 11, 2017, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
 Associated Press | Jan 11, 2017 | by Matthew Lee

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state, Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, adopted a tough new line on Russia on Wednesday, calling it a "danger" to the United States and saying he would have recommended a muscular response to Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. Both assertions appeared to contradict the views of the president-elect, who has repeatedly spoken of improving U.S.-Russian ties.

Tillerson, a friend of the Kremlin and foe of sanctions in his corporate life, said last week's intelligence report that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election was troubling and that it was a "fair assumption" Russian President Vladimir Putin would have personally ordered the intervention. He wouldn't call Putin a "war criminal" for Russian military actions in Syria, but said he'd consider such a designation if he saw evidence.

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