The US secretary of state has “veered off” the track of cooperation after falling into “bad company,” despite previously receiving Russia’s Order of Friendship, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
Putin made the remark during a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum on Thursday. He recalled that he had recently signed a decree to award China’s deputy prime minister with the Russian Order of Friendship.
“Keep in mind regarding the decorations, that’s not our last order,” Putin told the session.
He then addressed one of the session participants who holds US citizenship.
“We awarded the Order of Friendship once to your compatriot, [US Secretary of State] Mr. Tillerson. But, it looks like he’s got himself into bad company and is slightly veering off to the other side. But I hope the wind of cooperation, friendship and interaction will ultimately lead him to right path,” Putin said.
Rex Tillerson has received the Order of Friendship back in 2012, when he was the CEO of oil giant ExxonMobil.