Russia will try to frustrate Ukraine's attempts to integrate into western institutions - US intelligence

"We assess at Moscow's strategic objectives in Ukraine, maintaining long-term influence over Kyiv and frustrating Ukraine's attempts to integrate into western institutions, will remain unchanged in 2017," Coats said. In addition, Coats said that "Russia is likely to be more aggressive in global affairs, more unpredictable in its approach to the US." He has stressed that Russia will continue to leverage its military support to the Bashar Al-Assad regime to drive a political settlement process in Syria "on their terms".