US Vice President Michael Pence considers Russia one of the main threats in the world. At the same time, the White House is heavily thinking about how to restore normal relations with this "threat". Such a contradictory attitude towards our country on the part of the United States prevents joint work on the Syrian problem.

During the speech at the Atlantic Council analytical center, the second man of America called the three main threats to world stability and order. He ranked Russia, Iran and international terrorism.

"Russia's attempts to reshape international borders by force and Iran's attempts to destabilize the Middle East, as well as the global threat of terrorism that can strike at any time in any place, seem more dangerous in the world today than ever after the fall of communism a quarter of a century ago, Pence said.

According to the Vice President, the United States will help its allies in the North Atlantic alliance to fight the enemy, namely "to act on the principle that an attack on one [NATO member] is an attack on all of us".

The organization must develop, taking into account the emergence of new and old opponents, in order to "confront the threats of today and tomorrow, especially the threat of terrorism," stressed Pence. He also added that the US "will continue to strengthen the link between the American nation and the peoples of Europe for the benefit of future generations".

The words of the American Vice-President caused quite understandable bewilderment in Russia. Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev said that putting terrorists in one row and those who are fighting them is an "apotheosis of the absurd". Similar speeches, he said, show that the Trump administration "is either openly incompetent, or once again following the path, beaten by predecessors, and most likely - both the first and second".

Senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter that "putting Russia and terrorism in one row of threats, Pence verbatim repeats Obama and plays along to the enemies of Trump". "Could Hillary Clinton be a vice president," added the politician.

It seems that the White House has finally become entangled with what position should be taken towards Russia. On the one hand, the US president at the NATO summit urged the member countries of the alliance to concentrate on the problems of terrorism, migration and "threats from Russia". On the other hand, he accidentally or deliberately did not mention Article 5 of the NATO charter, which speaks of collective defense, for which he was sharply criticized in the West.

On the one hand, Washington takes a demonstrably tough position in terms of sanctions and even allows for their strengthening. "Sanctions against Russia will remain in force until Moscow abolishes the steps that provoked their introduction," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said at the end of May. On the other hand, Trump instructed Tillerson to establish relations with Moscow, despite the ongoing investigation in the US of possible unlawful ties between the president and the Russian Federation. "The president made it clear to me: do not let what is happening in the political sphere, interfere with the work that was entrusted in this respect.

He very clearly indicated that we must make progress, "Tillerson said during a trip to New Zealand.

The White House understands that it is impossible in principle to cope with the settlement of the Syrian crisis without the help of Russia. At the same time, Trump's team is not in a hurry to put up with the Kremlin, so as not to incur the wrath of Western allies and "hawks" inside the country. As a result, relations between the two countries remain in an uncertain situation.