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Senator says Russia expects Trump to adopt pragmatic policy

Russia and the US have many fields where the two countries could cooperate, Chairman of Russia’s Federation Council Committee for International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev says

© AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

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Moscow hopes Putin, Trump will get along

MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. Russia expects US President-elect Donald Trump’s team to adopt a more pragmatic policy towards many issues, compared to the Obama administration, but a 180 degree shift in the US policies should not be expected, Chairman of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Committee for International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev said commenting on the statements made by secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson and defense secretary nominee James Mattis.

Both nominees mentioned Russia during their Senate confirmation hearings. When asked to rank the greatest threats to US national security, Mattis said: "I would consider the principal threats to start with Russia", while according to Tillerson, Russia poses a danger to the US.

"No one expects Trump’s team to radically change the US policy towards any matter on which we don’t agree. But we expect them to be more pragmatic and try to come to terms with Russia," Kosachev said. "Russia and the US have many fields where the two countries could cooperate, their number is far more than the number of issues we view differently."

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