Obama: US Military Action, ‘Tough Talk’ Not to Influence Russian Strategy

US saber-rattling and military maneuvers will not affect Russian decision-making, President Barack Obama said in an interview released by a US media outlet on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States and its allies accuse Moscow of alleged interference in Ukraine's internal affairs, a claim Russia has repeatedly denied.

"The idea that talking tough or engaging in some military action that is tangential to that particular area is somehow going to influence the decision making of Russia… is contrary to all the evidence we have seen over the last 50 years," Obama told The Atlantic Magazine.

The United States, Obama added, needs to be clear about which regions of the world are important enough to US interests that demand a strong deterrence strategy.

"Now, if there is somebody in this town [Washington] that would claim that we would consider going to war with Russia over Crimea and eastern Ukraine, they should speak up and be very clear about it," Obama stated.

"People respond based on what their imperatives are, and if it’s really important to somebody, and it’s not that important to us, they know that, and we know that."

Projecting toughness is rooted in mythologies about Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy, Obama claimed, despite the fact Reagan used diplomacy more than military might.