▁to ▁er ad icate ▁the ▁cancer ▁of ▁cor ruption ". ▁While ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁State ' s ▁lead ▁diplom at ▁on ▁the ▁Ukraine ▁crisis , ▁N ul and ▁pushed ▁European ▁al lies ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁harder ▁line ▁on ▁Russian ▁expansion ism . ▁ ▁During ▁a ▁June ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Senate ▁Foreign ▁Rel ations ▁Committee ▁H ear ing ▁titled ▁" Russ ian ▁Vi ol ations ▁of ▁B orders , ▁Tre aties , ▁and ▁Human ▁Rights ", ▁N ul and ▁described ▁U . S . ▁diplom atic ▁out re ach ▁to ▁the ▁former ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁efforts ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁construct ive ▁relationship ▁with ▁Russia . ▁During ▁her ▁testim ony , ▁N ul and ▁noted ▁Russia ' s ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁invasion ▁of ▁Ukraine ▁which ▁she ▁said , ▁" sh atter ed ▁any ▁remaining ▁ill us ions ▁about ▁this ▁Kre ml in ' s ▁willing ness ▁to ▁ab ide ▁by ▁international ▁law ▁or ▁live ▁by ▁the ▁rules ▁of ▁the ▁institutions ▁that ▁Russia ▁joined ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Cold ▁War ." ▁N ul and ▁described ▁four ▁essential ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁foreign ▁policy ▁towards ▁Russia : ▁ ▁D eter ▁further ▁ag gression ▁through ▁the ▁projection ▁of ▁strength ▁and ▁unity ▁with ▁al lies ; ▁ ▁Build ▁res ili ence ▁and ▁reduce ▁vulner ability ▁among ▁friends ▁and ▁Al lies ▁facing ▁Russian ▁pressure ▁and ▁co erc ion ; ▁ ▁Cooper ate ▁on ▁core ▁national ▁security ▁prior ities ▁when ▁U . S . ▁interests ▁and ▁Russia