U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state Rex Tillerson has said that response of the United State to Russia's invasion of Ukraine is weak.

He gave his opinion speaking in the Senate during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday.

Tillerson said that sanctions imposed after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 did not help to stop Russia from invading eastern Ukraine.

Asked if military force should have been used in the situation when Russia took Crimea, Tillerson said that the presences of military force on the border would have helped to understand that after taking Crimea they should stop and not to go further.