Russia Isn't Delivering for Donald Trump - By the NYT Editorial Board
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD JULY 15, 2017
Even without the widening scandal over election interference, President Trump would have had a hard time managing Americas relations with Russia, which are as tense as at any time since the end of the Cold War.
The complex differences between the two countries will not be easily resolved. Moreover, President Vladimir Putin has shown a ruthless commitment to self-preservation that relies heavily on returning Russia to a mythical place of power and glory, not in helping the West build a more stable world.
Mr. Trump is making sound policy making even harder, though, with his admiration of Mr. Putin and his willingness to surrender the countrys international leadership, which was on display during the Group of 20 meeting in Germany. Mr. Trump is noticeably more comfortable with Mr. Putin than he is with most of Americas democratic allies, despite Mr. Putins record of crushing domestic opponents, invading Ukraine and bombing civilians in Syria.
There is nothing wrong with Mr. Trumps ambition to improve relations with Moscow, given Russias importance as a nuclear weapons superpower with a United Nations Security Council veto. But that does not mean it is wise to underestimate, as Mr. Trump seems to do, the threat posed by Mr. Putins efforts to weaken NATO and the trans-Atlantic alliance, subvert democratic procedures and institutions in Europe and America, wage cyberwarfare, destabilize Ukraine and secure influence in Syria. Some Trump administration officials recognize those hazards; Mr. Trump does not.
One example is the mixed signals he is sending about maintaining sanctions on Russia. On Air Force One to Paris on Wednesday, he told reporters, I would not and have never even thought about taking them off.
more
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/15/opinion/sunday/russia-isnt-delivering-for-donald-trump.html?emc=edit_th_20170716&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=57435284
Girard442
(6,070 posts)Gothmog
(145,129 posts)Eyeball_Kid
(7,430 posts)NEVER assume that Trumpy is telling the truth.
Assumption #2: Always refer to Assumption #1.
LisaL
(44,973 posts)Donald Trump hasn't lifted the sanctions, at least as of yet.
eppur_se_muova
(36,259 posts)"despite Mr. Putins record of crushing domestic opponents, invading Ukraine and bombing civilians in Syria"
should be
"because of Mr. Putins record of crushing domestic opponents, invading Ukraine and bombing civilians in Syria"