WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2018) The United States has to engage better with its European allies on sanctions against Russia, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell said at the Atlantic Council.
"We have to be better in diplomatic engagement in Europe," Mitchell said on Thursday.
Mitchell said numerous countries in Europe appear to increasingly have qualms about the role of sanctions. US officials, he added, visit various European states every few months explaining why the sanctions against Russia are in their best interests.
The State Department official added, however, that the United States shares a desire with its European allies to have a more productive relationship with Russia.
The US diplomat also said Western Europe cannot become energy independent from Russia if it supports projects like Nord Stream-2.
Russia has faced several rounds of sanctions from the United States and the European Union over allegations of interfering in the conflict in eastern Ukraine and election meddling, among other issues, all of which the Kremlin has repeatedly denied.
