Russia will try to frustrate Ukraine's attempts to integrate into western institutions - US intelligence
Ukrinform
Russia's strategic objective in Ukraine in 2017 is to frustrate its attempts to integrate into western institutions.
This has been stated by Daniel Coats, the director of the National Intelligence of the United States, The Economic Times reports.
"We assess at Moscow's strategic objectives in Ukraine, maintaining long-term influence over Kyiv and frustrating Ukraine's attempts to integrate into western institutions, will remain unchanged in 2017," Coats said.
In addition, Coats said that "Russia is likely to be more aggressive in global affairs, more unpredictable in its approach to the US."
He has stressed that Russia will continue to leverage its military support to the Bashar Al-Assad regime to drive a political settlement process in Syria "on their terms".
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