Top Pentagon policy official says U.S. seeking new talks with Russia

The Pentagon is in the process of arranging new talks with the Russian military, according to Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John Rood.

“We are in the process of trying to arrange a period of time -- a date, a place -- to meet to have strategic stability talks,” he said during an interview at the Aspen Security Forum.

“We have proposed some dates to our Russian colleagues and we hope they will respond,” he said. “It takes two to tango.”

Rood said the Pentagon approached Russia about the talks prior to President Trump's meeting Monday in Helsinki with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump has been widely criticized for being too deferential to Putin during a press conference that followed a private meeting between the two. The White House has since taken steps to highlight some of the administration's tougher policies toward Russia, and the Pentagon announced today it would provide $200 million in military assistance to Ukraine to counter Russian-backed separatists.

Rood said Russia is “a very important country on the world's stage," and it is a “normal and practical thing” to try to establish improved relations.

Rood said the U.S. government continues to hold that Russia's annexation of Crimea was unlawful, but noted that meeting with Russian officials is not the same as agreeing with them.