Trump wants to find common ground with Russia, but Moscow must change its behavior

United States President Donald Trump is ready to build relations with Russia under the principles of security and protecting America's national interests, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker said.

Speaking in an interview with the Ukrainian Dzerkalo Tyzhnia weekly, published on Saturday, he said that such a position was based on three factors: maintaining the existing rules of the game; supporting the common security principles; and protecting U.S. national interests.

At the same time, such a position should not be seen as anti-Russian, unless Russia chooses to become an antagonist of the U.S., he said. President Trump meant what he said: he wants to find common ground with Russia, the diplomat said. But to that end, Russia should change the behavior it has grown accustomed to, the special representative said.

Over the last 18 months of the previous U.S. administration the Russian authorities became a little used to getting away with many things, Volker said.

They were not hiding their expectations during the last U.S. presidential election: the new administration would be led by a man famous for deal-making skills, who would be easy to negotiate with, the U.S. special representative said, noting that that did not happen.