美国新任驻联合国大使周四对俄罗斯在乌克兰东部的军事行动表达了坚定立场，谴责莫斯科的“侵略行径”，并称美国因俄罗斯吞并克里米亚而实施的相关制裁将继续下去。
尼基·黑利担任川普总统驻联合国大使的提名自上周得到确认后，首次在联合国安理会的公开会上发言，她说：“我必须谴责俄罗斯的侵略行径。” 黑利说：“我们希望与俄罗斯有更好的关系…但是鉴于乌克兰东部的恶劣局势，必须对俄罗斯提出明确和强烈的谴责。”
她还说，美国针对俄罗斯吞并乌克兰克里米亚半岛实施的制裁也将继续有效，直到该领土的控制权归还基辅。
在长达数个月的总统竞选期间，川普对俄罗斯总统普京的领导能力表示钦佩，同时也有人怀疑俄罗斯为了破坏民主党候选人希拉里·克林顿的竞选而可能对美国选举进行了干预。这些让许多外交政策观察人士想知道，川普政府能否会对莫斯科采取强硬立场。 黑利的言论似乎表明，新政府不会不惜一切代价谋求与莫斯科改善关系。
周四早些时候，美国财政部宣布放宽对与俄罗斯安全局（FSB）的商业交易的一些限制，尽管前总统奥巴马进行了网络制裁。
白宫发言人肖恩·斯派塞说，这并不意味着美国正在放松对俄罗斯的制裁。
The new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations took a firm stance against Russian military action in eastern Ukraine Thursday, condemning Moscow’s “aggressive actions” and saying U.S. Crimea related sanctions will remain in place.
“I must condemn the aggressive actions of Russia,” Nikki Haley told the U.N. Security Council at her first public meeting since being confirmed last week as President Donald Trump’s U.N. envoy. “We do want better relations with Russia,” Haley said. “However, the dire situation in eastern Ukraine is one that demands clear and strong condemnation of Russian actions.”
Haley said U.S.-imposed sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula also will remain in place until control of that territory is returned to Kyiv.
During the months long presidential campaign, Donald Trump expressed admiration for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and there are questions about whether Russia interfered in the U.S. election in order to undermine Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. These left many foreign policy observers wondering whether the Trump administration would take a hard line on Moscow. Haley’s comments appeared to indicate the administration is not prepared to pursue improved relations with Moscow at any price.
Earlier Thursday, The U.S. Treasury Department announced it is easing some restrictions on business transactions with Russia's Security Service (FSB), despite cyber- sanctions put in place by former President Barack Obama.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the move does not mean the United States is easing sanctions on Russia.
