US President Barack Obama urged President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to keep separate the issue of economic sanctions on Russia from the pursuit of talks to reduce nuclear stockpiles, Reuters reports.
Obama to Trump: Keep Russia sanctions separate from nuke talks
STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 19, ARTSAKHPRESS: Trump, who takes office on Friday after winning the November 8 election, said in an interview with the Times of London published on Monday that he would propose offering to end sanctions on Moscow in return for a nuclear arms reduction deal.Obama's administration imposed the sanctions in 2014 after Russia's annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine.
"Russia continues to occupy Ukrainian territory and meddle in Ukrainian affairs," Obama told reporters during his final news conference at the White House.
"I think it would probably best serve, not only American interests, but also the interests of preserving international norms if we made sure that we don't confuse why these sanctions have been imposed with a whole set of other issues," he said.
"It is important for the United States to stand up for the basic principal that big countries don't go around and invade and bully smaller countries," the Democratic president added.
