U.S. President-elect Donald Trump suggested he may offer to end some economic sanctions against Russia in return for a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to reduce nuclear arms, The Times of London newspaper reported.
Trump said in a wide-ranging joint interview with The Times and the German daily Bild published on January 15 that he wants the nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia to be "reduced very substantially."
Trump also criticized Moscow for its military intervention in the Syrian civil war, describing it as "a very bad thing" that had led to a "terrible humanitarian situation."
The president-elect also called NATO is "obsolete" for not doing more to fight terrorism but added that the alliance is still "very important to me."
Trump repeated his criticism that many NATO members do not pay enough for their security, which is carried by the United States.
"A lot of these countries aren't paying what they're supposed to be paying, which I think is very unfair to the United States," he said, adding that only five of NATO's 28 member countries are paying their fair share.
Trump praised the British "Brexit" from the European Union and said he thinks that the bloc's liberal immigration policy toward refugees could lead to other countries leaving the EU.
Although Trump said he respects German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he said she had made a "catastrophic mistake" by allowing so many undocumented migrants to enter Germany since 2015.
Trump also said he will appoint Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, to broker a Middle East peace deal.
He praised Queen Elizabeth and said he is eager to sign a trade deal with Britain and will meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May soon.
