Ahead of his European trip, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday criticised Russia for often employing "malicious tactics" to not only weaken their confidence but also to undermine political and economic successes.
In a major foreign policy speech on US relations with Europe under Trump's "America First" foreign policy, Tillerson pledged that sanctions against Russia will remain in place until it helps restore peace in Ukraine.
In his speech, Tillerson described Russia as one of the "major challenges" facing Europe and the US.
Europe and the United States seek a normalised relationship with Russia, he said.
However, Russia, Tillerson said, has shown it seeks to define a new post-Soviet global balance of power, one in which Russia, by virtue of its nuclear arsenal, seeks to impose its will on others.
Russia does so by force or by partnering with regimes who show a disregard for their own citizens, as is the case with Bashar al-Assad's continuous use of chemical weapons against his own people, he alleged.
The dissolution of the Soviet Union liberalised Russian society and created new trade opportunities that benefit Russians, Europeans, and Americans, the top US diplomat.
"But Russia has often employed malicious tactics against the US and Europe to drive us apart, weaken our confidence, and undermine the political and economic successes that we have achieved together since the end of the Cold War," Tillerson said.
"Playing politics with energy supplies, launching cyber- attacks and disinformation campaigns to undermine free elections, and serially harassing and intimidating diplomats are not the behaviours of a responsible nation," he said.
Tillerson went further: Attacking a neighbouring country and threatening others does nothing to improve the lives of Russians or enhance Russia's standing in the world.