Euronews speaks to US ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland about his recent trip to Ukraine.
ADVERTISEMENTEuronews (Andrei Beketov): We are talking to the US ambassador to the European Union. Mr Gordon Sondland, thank you for welcoming Euronews in your mission in Brussels. You have just returned from Ukraine. What's your fresh assessment of the tension between Ukraine and Russia?
Sondland: Clearly there is a tension on the part of the Ukrainians who want to live in peaceful democracy. There is this constant fear of the threat of Russian malign influence that doesn't seem to subside.
Euronews: The US Congress has just published draft of a new bill targeting Russian with additional sanctions. What are the most important ones?
Sondland: The aim of any sanctions is number one to deter bad behaviour, to correct bad behaviour and hopefully bring Russia back to a place where it respects the territorial integrity of free countries and lets countries have free and fair elections and doesn't meddle in their internal affairs.
Euronews: Russia is warning US and NATO against deploying american missiles in Europe...
Sondland: We are not concerned about Russian threats. I think Europe is very pleased that the United States is there as its long-time strong ally to guarantee it's freedom and independence along with the other NATO partners.
Euronews: How much of an agreement is there beetween US and the EU in relation to the Nord streem-2 project?
Sondland: There are some EU member countries who feel that without Russian gas their energy need will not be met. We disagree with that. We think that there are ample supplies of energy from around the world. And this is not just about US energy. We believe that those member countries who want to put Europe in vulnerable position to Russian influence, to potentially having Russia curtail delivery of gas during difficult political times - we don't think they are operating completely in Europe's best interests.