"What about the Russian reset… To me, that is such an unbelievable thing. That is a complete failed policy," Flynn said.
In 2010, President Barack Obama and then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton initiated the Russian reset policy, to improve relations with Russia, paving the way for the bilateral nuclear arms reduction deal, the New START Treaty.
Approximately five years after the Russian "reset," top Obama military officers had declared Russia the top national security threat facing the United States.
"We have got to be smarter [in the relationship with Russia], but you know how you do that? You have got to develop personal relationships," Flynn said.
Flynn, who formerly served as US President Barack Obama’s Defense Intelligence Agency director, emphasized dialogue, despite adversarial relations.
"I got a lot of people that I don’t like that I talk to, a lot. And just because I don’t like them, doesn't mean I won’t talk to them," Flynn said.
Flynn did not indicate what the US policy toward Russia would be if Trump takes the White House in November, but criticized the approach of President Barack Obama.
In recent months, Republican candidate Trump has responded to specific questions of his future military strategy by emphasizing the importance of unpredictability in dealing with potential adversaries.
Flynn served until 2012 as President Barack Obama’s Defense Intelligence Agency director. After his resignation he became a vocal critic of Obama’s defense and foreign policy.
