WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Collaboration between the United States and Russia on efforts to counter terrorism, including suppressing extremist messaging online, would be very effective, US House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security General Counsel Joan O'Hara told Sputnik.
"Any cooperation on countering this problem would be hugely important and hugely effective," O'Hara said on Wednesday. "[I] wouldn’t be able to speak to how exactly that would take shape, but certainly cooperation between the two countries on counter terrorism efforts would be very effective."
When asked about her expectations of the new Trump administration's possible cooperation with Russia, O'Hara stated it is very important for the United States to work with international partners around the world on efforts to counter terrorism.
"I know there have been some concerns with information sharing, but it’s very important, I think, because this is really a global problem that information is shared as effectively as possible, that countries around the world are taking this seriously and have the right infrastructure in place that they can collect the information they need and have that exchange with their partners, she added.
"I think we’re both two important powers in the world so it’d be good to see that cooperation," O'Hara concluded.
The United States, the European Union and some of their allies have imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia over Crimea’s reunification with Russia and Moscow's alleged involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive and undermine regional and global stability.
Anti-terrorism once became a stumbling block in relations between Russia and the West.
In September 2015, Russia began an aerial campaign in war-torn Syria to assist Damascus in the fight against extremists, most notably the Islamic State and the Nusra Front.
The move has been criticized by the United States, which heads an intentional coalition of more than 60 nations to fight the Islamic State.
The US actions in Syria, however, are not approved by the legitimate government of President Bashar Assad or the UN Security Council.
