President Obama implores Trump to stand up to Russia when they are 'deviating from our values'

(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

President Barack Obama met with European leaders in Berlin on Friday to discuss expanding sanctions on Russia, due to the nation's continued presence in Ukraine and possible war crimes in Syria.

At the meeting, Obama acknowledged concerns that President-elect Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with NATO and shown a friendliness toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I don't expect [Trump] will follow exactly our blueprint or our approach," Obama admitted:

"My hope is that the president-elect coming in takes a similarly constructive approach, finding areas where we can cooperate with Russia, where our values and interests align," Obama added, "but [that he] is also willing to stand up to Russia where they are deviating from our values and international norms."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.