WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein — Including Russia in the international coalition against ISIL is a worthwhile proposal, former US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel told Sputnik on Thursday.
“We already have a coalition of over 60 countries involved in taking direct military against ISIL in Syria and in Iraq, so to include Russia and other countries, we should look at all the proposals,” Hagel stated.
"I think any suggestion or proposal by a member of the Security Council should be looked at seriously," Hagel said of UN Security Council measures under consideration by Russia.
On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced it is discussing the creation of a greater coalition to fight ISIL. The broader coalition would use force under the permission of the UN Security Council.
The United States and a coalition of more than 60 nations have been engaged in military actions against ISIL since August 2014. The actions have not been specifically authorized by the UN.
