U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States and Russia were not destined to enter a new Cold War.
"It is not the case that we are doomed to a Cold War rivalry," Pompeo said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, speaking by video after the ongoing U.S. government shutdown triggered his trip's cancellation.
"These two nations are the largest possessors of nuclear capability in the world. Russia is a formidable power in that we respect and we understand that. We need to ensure that there are conversations taking place so that we can prevent both proliferation and the rest that comes with the possession of those nuclear weapons," the Secretary of State stressed.
At the same time, he urged Moscow to change course on issues to improve relations with Washington.
"These aren't the behaviors of nations that want to be part of the international community," AFP cited him as saying.
"We are not destined to be antagonists," Pompeo said.
