ExxonMobil’s involvement in various projects in Russia, including exploration, development and operating of the Sakhalin-1 project since the early 1990s, has raised concerns amid US politicians and media over whether the potential US top diplomat has a soft spot for Russia.
Tillerson has met Russian President Vladimir Putin on a number of occasions, in the United States and in Russia.
In June 2013, Putin awarded the businessman the Russian Order of Friendship for significant contribution to strengthening cooperation in the energy sector.
Tillerson has not welcomed the United States’ sanctions against Russia.
"We do not support sanctions, generally, because we don’t find them to be effective unless they are very well implemented comprehensibly, and that’s a very hard thing to do. So we always encourage the people who are making those decisions to consider the very broad collateral damage of who are they really harming." Tillerson said at Exxon’s 2014 annual meeting, as quoted by The New York Times newspaper.
ExxonMobil chief reportedly said later during the same meeting that the company was waiting for the sanctions to be lifted.
GOOD NEWS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called Tillerson "pragmatic" and expressed hope that pragmatism would become a solid basis for a future US-Russian relationship.
Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov characterized Tillerson as "respectable and professional," while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also praised Tillerson’s professionalism.
"As far as the joint projects on hydrocarbons and the interactions on the global market of hydrocarbons are concerned, I think this appointment is a good news for us," Alexei Arbatov, the head of the Center for International Security at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations, told RIA Novosti.
Arbatov said that Tillerson would put greater emphasis on energy than previous secretaries of state and would therefore be on the same wavelength as Russia, for whom energy is an important aspect of economy and foreign policy.
The expert noted that Exxon chief lacked experience in all other foreign policy spheres, including nuclear proliferation, Ukraine, the Middle East.
"Now everyone will follow with bated breath his [Tillerson’s] appointments of aides, deputies because his policies on all issues beyond oil and gas will depend on his advisers," Arbatov said.
Tillerson’s candidature has to be approved by the US Congress, which may turn out to be difficult, in part because of the candidate’s seemingly positive attitude to Russia.
Last week, Sen. John McCain, a prominent member of the Republican Party and a 2008 presidential nominee, said in an interview to Fox News that he was concerned about Tillerson’s relationship with Putin.
The appointment would fall through if at least three Republican Party senators joined Democratic opposition.
