'..engaging diplomatically, trying to find a way out of this situation, but confronting them where we must..'<blockquote>'..Right now, Russia's future should be wedded to Europe. Why they see NATO as a threat is beyond me. Clearly, NATO is not a threat .. engaging diplomatically, trying to find a way out of this situation, but confronting them where we must. And we're going to continue in this mode and hopefully soon our diplomats will work their magic and start moving us out of this quandary we find ourselves in.'
- James Mattis (
Source, May 28, 2017)</blockquote>
Context<blockquote>
'..Russia .. turning swords into golden plowshares .. a Soyuz SU-17 microphone..''..Russia must return Crimea to Ukraine and de-escalate violence in eastern Ukraine.''..a clear understanding between Washington and Moscow about the rules of the road - that we are not trying to bring down each other's systems..''Nuclear Crisis Group .. preventing .. the use of nuclear weapons.'</blockquote>