US official: Putin not to intend to go astray

US First Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin has an understanding of where to go next and he does not intend to go astray.

She recalled that recently Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow would help “the Ukrainian people get rid of the regime, which is absolutely anti-people and anti-historical,” Kommersant reports. 

Sherman was asked in an interview with The Economist what she thinks the United States should do to get Russia to end the fighting in Ukraine. “I think he has a vision of where to go next. I don’t think he intends to go astray. And the rest of the world should understand his ambition,” said the first deputy secretary of state.

In addition, in the interview, Sherman was asked about her impressions of Putin after personal meetings. “I spent most of my time in Putin’s company in Sochi, accompanying then Secretary of State John Kerry. We talked for about four hours. He was very smart, did not use any cheat sheets, spoke fluently and was very confident in himself,” said the first deputy secretary of state.