RUSSIALINK: “Russia shouldn’t pin hopes for lifting of sanctions on foreign elections – Medvedev” – RT/Russia Today

File Photo of Dmitry Medvedev with United Russia Logos Behind Him

“‘It’s time to discard the illusions that any sanctions imposed on our country would be lifted. Obviously, they are there to stay for a long time. And don’t lay your hopes on someone else’s elections,’ [Medvedev] said Sunday, in a speech addressing a United Russia party meeting in Moscow. …”

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RIA Novosti: Trump not pro-Russian – Moscow spokeswoman

Russian Foreign Ministry Building Tower file photo

(RIA Novosti – January 20, 2017) Donald Trump, who is about to become the president of the United States, is not pro-Russian, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman has said, state news agency RIA Novosti reported. “There are no pro-Russian candidates there, we have never said that we support Donald Trump, or that we do not support him, there has never […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Listen, liberal. Alexei Kudrin wants to liberalise Russia’s economy to save it. But with Donald Trump’s election, many Russians think Putin’s model is winning.” – The Economist

Alexei Kudrin file photo

“… Kudrin’s verdict was grim. Russia, he said, is at a low pace of economic growth even compared with the period of stagnation in the 1970s and 1980s that led to the Soviet collapse. The reasons go well beyond low #oil prices and Western sanctions: The main problems lie within Russia and they are structural and institutional.’ Russia lags far […]

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Russia Fears That Trump Won’t Be Such a Great Deal After All

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Henry Meyer , Ilya Arkhipov, Irina Reznik – January 19, 2017) Russia is giving Donald Trump the kind of fawning television coverage usually reserved for Vladimir Putin, with its most popular propagandist hailing the president-elect this week as “a man of his word.” But inside the Kremlin, the initial euphoria over having a Putin admirer in […]

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Ukraine’s Survival Strategy for the Trump Era

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Leonid Bershidsky – January 17, 2017) For Ukraine, Jan. 20 is a scarier date than perhaps for any other country: It may be about to lose the U.S. support that has allowed it to stay afloat in the face of #Russian hostility and economic disaster. The Ukrainian elite is divided between two competing strategies in response. […]

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Russian business ombudsman to attend Trump inauguration ceremony

Boris Titov file photo

MOSCOW. Jan 16 (Interfax) – Russian business ombudsman Boris Titov has gone to Washington to attend the inauguration ceremony of U.S. President Donald Trump on January 20, the ombudsman’s office told Interfax. “Yes. Titov has left for Washington. He is expected to attend the Trump inauguration. The business ombudsman is also scheduled to have a number of meetings in the […]

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NBC VIDEO: Watch Full Interview With Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Dmitry Peskov file photo adapted from image at kremlin.ru/wikimedia commons

(NBC News –  Jan. 12, 2016 – nbcnews.com/video/watch-full-interview-with-kremlin-spokesman-dmitry-peskov-853603395519) Watch Full Interview With Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov NBC News’ Bill Neely talks to Dmitry Peskov about hacking, President Putin and Donald Trump. [featured image is file photo]

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NEWSWATCH: “Russian tech expert named in Trump report says US intelligence never contacted him” – McClatchy/KEVIN G. HALL, TIM JOHNSON

File Image of Stylized Eye Surrounded by Binary Code

A #Russian venture capitalist and tech expert whose name and company are mentioned in the now-notorious document alleging connections between the Donald #Trump campaign and Russian #hackers says no #intelligence officers have ever contacted him about the accusations, which he says are false. * * * #XBT, owner of Dallas-based enterprise-hosting company #Webzilla, is run by a successful Russian tech […]

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NEWSLINK: “Team Trump on Russia: Words and Actions” – Russia Matters

Donald Trump

“U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has picked his Cabinet members, Cabinet-level officials and advisors. Here is a snapshot of their positions on and ties with Russia. This is a work in progress that will evolve throughout the month of January. In our initial post on Jan. 9, we focused on Cabinet picks who have had direct dealings with Russia or a […]

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PBS VIDEO: What kind of threat does Russia pose to the U.S.?

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

(PBS Newshour – pbs.org/newshour/bb/kind-threat-russia-pose-u-s/ – January 12, 2017) President-elect Trump has said he would like to improve relations with Russia. But his choice for defense secretary, Gen. James Mattis, views Russia as America’s number one threat. What’s the reality of the White House-Kremlin dynamic? Steve Inskeep discusses with Evelyn Farkas, a former Defense Department official, and Michael McFaul, former U.S. […]

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Golden Skepticism; Wild allegations in unverified Trump dossier fail to impress Kremlin critics and supporters alike

File Image of Laptop Computer, Tables and Mobile Device, adapted from image at energy.gov

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ola Cichowlas – January 12, 2017) In the past 24 hours, on both sides of the Atlantic, the Internet has exploded in incredulity, responding to an unverified dossier published by BuzzFeed News, describing U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged relationship with the Kremlin. The 35-page report features several salacious and uncorroborated claims about Trump’s ties to […]

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NEWSLINK: “Why Are the Trump Allegations Hanging Around When They Haven’t Been Substantiated?” – Lawfare/Susan Hennessey, Benjamin Wittes

Stylized Artist's Depiction of Shadowy Figures in Dark Coats and Dark Hats, One Carrying a Briefcase

“What is one to make of the apparent inability of press and government alike to verify the allegations in the Trump dossier combined with the cache of documents’ apparent staying power? The unverified allegations against Donald Trump are not just salacious, they are specific. These are facts which should be verifiable as either true or false. …”

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NEWSWATCH: “For 1st time since Cold War, U.S. tanks roll into Russia’s backyard” – CBS

U.S. Army Tanks in Transport Arriving in Germany, adapted from army.mil

“… All the massive hardware of a U.S. combat brigade arrived in Germany over the weekend, and started rolling east toward Poland, where 4,000 American soldiers will be waiting for it. … the first build-up of American troops and weapons in Europe in almost 30 years … meant, in large part, to reassure America’s nervous allies in Europe that the […]

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VIDEO: Russia’s election intervention is ‘new reality, new weapon’

File Image of Stylized Eye Surrounded by Binary Code

(PBS Newshour – January 7, 2017) [Click here for transcript] On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will hold a meeting about the intelligence report released this week that concludes the Russian government tried to influence the U.S. election. To break down what is in the report and what to expect, senior national security reporter at The Wall […]

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NEWSWATCH: “FBI, Dems bicker over investigation of hacked servers” – The Hill/KATIE BO WILLIAMS

FBI Headquarters Building file photo

“… The DNC told Buzzfeed in a statement published Wednesday that the FBI never requested access to its servers after they were breached. … a senior law enforcement official disputed that characterization … ‘The FBI repeatedly stressed to DNC officials the necessity of obtaining direct access to servers and data, only to be rebuffed until well after the initial compromise […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Why doubts still cloud Russian hacking allegations; Evidence that the government has presented so far linking Russian operatives to the DNC hack is questionable, fueling skepticism and doubt about Moscow’s role.” – Christian Science Monitor/Paul F. Roberts

File Image of Stylized Eye Surrounded by Binary Code

“Since the White House blamed #Russia for hacking US political organizations to undermine the presidential election, administration critics, skeptics, and cybersecurity experts have pushed the government to reveal its evidence. … much of what has come out of Washington … has only raised more questions about the government’s claims. A joint analysis of recent hacking activity by the FBI and […]

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Russian Foreign Policy Experts Mull the Future of U.S. Relations

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

(Voice of America – voanews.com – Victor Vladimirov – January 4, 2017) MOSCOW – President-elect Donald Trump has expressed doubts about whether Moscow was involved in hacking computer systems connected to the U.S. Democratic Party. He also has called for improved relations with Russia, and even praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for choosing not to respond in kind to last […]

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NEWSLINK Washington Post/Colbert I. King: “Is a Trump-Putin Pact on the horizon?”

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

“… Trump has declared his desire: ‘I want to get along with Russia.’ He also wants to cooperate with the Kremlin along a broad front, from joint operations against terrorism, especially targeting the Islamic State, to halting nuclear proliferation and advances by Iran and North Korea. …”

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Trump Has Tough Choice After Obama Sanctions on Russia Hack

Putin and Obama with U.S. and Russian Flags

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Nick Wadhams, Justin Sink – December 30, 2016) President Barack Obama is forcing his successor, Donald Trump, into a difficult choice: reverse the sanctions the departing president just imposed on Russia for hacking e-mails in the U.S. election or put at risk his campaign vow to improve relations with Vladimir Putin. Hours after Obama imposed penalties […]

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NEWSLINK Washington Post: “Trump refuses to face reality about Russia. The U.S. cannot just ‘move on’ from Vladimir Putin’s dangerous behavior”

Stylized Russian and U.S. Flags with Number 200, 1807-2007

“ALTHOUGH PRESIDENT Obama’s sanctions against Russia for interfering with the U.S. presidential election came late, his action on Thursday reflected a bipartisan consensus that penalties must be imposed for Moscow’s audacious hacking and meddling. …”

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No quick change in US policy expected under Trump – Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov file photo adapted from image at kremlin.ru/wikimedia commons

(Interfax – December 21, 2016) The Kremlin does not expect the USA to abandon plans to expand NATO and bring its infrastructure closer to Russian borders, or to lift sanctions, as soon as Donald Trump takes office in Washington, Vladimir Putin’s press secretary has said. “We do not expect to successfully resolve all the problems, nor do we expect America […]

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Kremlin spokesman denies Trump is “Putin’s man”

Dmitry Peskov file photo adapted from image at kremlin.ru/wikimedia commons

(Interfax – December 21, 2016) Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed the suggestions that US President Elect Donald Trump is “Putin’s man” as absurd. “You know, this is completely absurd. This is just nonsense,” privately-owned Interfax news agency quoted him as saying in an interview with Mir 24 television channel on 21 December. Peskov added that “Trump […]

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RBTH: What does Moscow expect from new U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson?

Rex Tillerson file photo, adapted from image at readyagain.gov

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has selected ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson as a key member of his team. “Pragmatic,” “professional” and a “friend” of Vladimir Putin – the announcement of his appointment comes as potentially good news to Russia. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – YEKATERINA SINELSCHIKOVA, RBTH – December 14, 2016) Donald Trump has chosen the next U.S. Secretary […]

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NEWSWATCH: “In Moscow, Trump’s tapping of Tillerson lifts hope of U.S. rapprochement; Russian experts know ExxonMobil CEO and Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson well, and see Trump’s selection of him as a signal that genuine detente is a possibility.” – Christian Science Monitor/Fred Weir

Rex Tillerson file photo, adapted from image at readyagain.gov

“It’s a rarity for Moscow to be enthusiastic over a US president’s choice for secretary of State. It certainly wasn’t the case for either of the past two secretaries, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. … Trump’s decision … to nominate ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson is proving to be a pleasant surprise to Russia. … the nomination … seems evidence to […]

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Tillerson Rise Aided by Savvy Negotiating in Putin’s Russia

Rex Tillerson file photo, adapted from image at readyagain.gov

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Joe Carroll – December 12, 2016) For Rex Tillerson, Russia was the proving ground that helped vault him to leadership of a company whose annual sales dwarf the economic output of most nations. Tillerson, Exxon Mobil Corp.’s chairman and chief executive officer since 2006, has emerged as President-elect Donald Trump’s favorite for secretary of state despite, […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Russian Hackers and American Hacks; The CIA that misjudged Putin for years is now sure of his motives” – Wall Street Journal

File Photo of CIA Seal on Floor

Somewhere in the Kremlin … Putin must be laughing. The Russian strongman almost certainly sought to undermine public confidence in American democracy … and as the Obama Administration leaves town it is playing into his hands. … the real story behind … reports that U.S. intelligence services have concluded that Russia intervened to assist … Trump’s presidential campaign. … attributed […]

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What Does Russia Expect of President-Elect Donald Trump?

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

(Kennan Institute, Wilson Center: Ground Truth Briefing – wilsoncenter.org/program/kennan-institute – December 8, 2016) The Takeaways President-elect Donald Trump has promised to shift U.S. foreign policy priorities and to reshape America’s system of alliances. What might this new stance mean for Russia and for Mr. Trump’s relationship with President Vladimir Putin? On December 8th, 2016 the Wilson Center’s Matthew Rojansky, Director […]

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Putin echoes Trump on foreign policy as Russia softens rhetoric

Aerial View of Kremlin and Environs

The highlights of the new approach to foreign policy in Vladimir Putin’s annual state-of-the-nation address to the Federal Assembly (Russia’s parliament) on Dec. 1 suggest that the mood in Moscow is ripe for another try for a “reset” with the West – but on certain conditions. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Vladimir Mikheev, special to RBTH- December 6, […]

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RUSSIALINK RT/Russia Today: “Putin: Trump is smart, will soon be aware of different level of responsibility.”

File Photo of Vladimir Putin Sitting at Desk

“‘The fact that Trump managed to achieve success in business, suggests that he is a smart man,’ Putin said in an interview with Russia’s NTV channel. ‘And as he is smart, that means he will fully and quite quickly be aware of a different level of responsibility. We assume that he will be acting this way,’ he added.”

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NEWSWATCH: “Continue the Unfinished Business of Integrating Russia into the Global Economy. Renewed economic interaction would increase the West’s influence, not lessen it” – The National Interest/Carnegie Corporation/J. Andrew Spindler

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

“… Trump has an unusual opportunity … to improve the tone of U.S.-Russian relations, currently at one of their lowest ebbs …. The positive possibilities in the short run are substantial …. the potential for a U.S.-Russian collaboration in the Middle East, particularly with regard to defeating ISIS and developing a peace plan for Syria. … there are many other […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Reassess and Reassure. A new Trump administration could move Russia away from its anti-Western posture.” – The National Interest/Carnegie Corporation/Andrew Kuchins

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

“The first thing … Trump can do is strike a new tone … open, respectful, businesslike and disciplined. He should acknowledge … deep concern at the state of U.S.-Russia relations … and express that his administration views Russia as an essential partner in reducing nuclear risks … fighting #terrorism and bringing more stability to the greater Middle East, and mitigating […]

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NEWSWATCH: “America and #Russia: Transcending Friend or Foe. #Trump’s administration must grasp the costs America is willing to pay and the limits of what can be demanded of Russia.” – The National Interest/Carnegie Corporation/Nikolas Gvosdev

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

“… the … #Trump administration needs to conduct an honest review of past U.S. policies towards #Russia (especially the so-called ‘reset’) and … ascertain … successes and failures … strong points and … weaknesses. … it must take stock of its own priorities and redlines… [and] identify where and when it will spend political capital to advance the relationship by […]

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NEWSLINK U.S. News/Hans Binnendijk, William Courtney: “Can Trump Make a Deal with Putin? If Trump is prepared and Russia signals it’s ready to progress, the U.S. could make real inroads”

Donald Trump

“… Three prerequisites should guide #Trump’s strategy with #Russia. First, he should reaffirm America’s commitment to #NATO, while calling for defense spending and efficiency to be the main issue at the 2017 NATO Brussels summit. Second, before meeting with #Putin, Trump should visit key allies and learn their priorities while sharing his own. Third, he ought to review his strategy […]

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NEWSLINK The National Interest/Carnegie Corporation/Timothy Colton: “Advice to President #Trump on U.S.-#Russia Policy. America shouldn’t let its firmness toward Russia turn into rigidity.”

Donald Trump

“… The grievances on both sides have built up over a decade and a half. It makes sense on our part to begin an in-depth review of the relationship, of what went wrong with it and of the options for improving it over the next half-decade. That review should enlist independent specialists in the academic and think-tank worlds as well […]

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RUSSIALINK RT/Russia Today: “With Trump on the way, Putin plays ‘wait and see’ on Russia-US relations”

Artist's Rendition of U.S. Embassy, Moscow, with the Russian Foreign Ministry in the Background

“Many thought it might take decades to get here, but the mood has changed in the blink of an eye. After years of tension, when bellicose rhetoric frequently spewed from both sides, it appears increasingly likely relations between Russia and the West might soon be normalized.”

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NEWSWATCH: “Turchynov hopes Trump’s administration approves lethal weapon provision to Ukraine” – Interfax-Ukraine

“National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov said he hopes that the new U.S. administration will make a decision on granting lethal weapons to Ukraine. ‘I do think that Ukraine has a chance to get lethal weapons. … The position of the Republican Party towards Ukraine is sufficiently clear and consistent. All their votes in the Congress and […]

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NEWSLINK The Nation/Stephen Cohen: “False Narratives, Not ‘Fake News,’ Are the Real Cold War Problem. Any détente initiatives by President-elect Trump must break with spurious U.S. accounts of the new Cold War.”

Artist's Rendition of U.S. Embassy, Moscow, with the Russian Foreign Ministry in the Background

“Nation Contributing Editor Stephen F. Cohen and John Batchelor continue their weekly discussions of the new US-Russian Cold War. (Previous installments are at TheNation.com.) ….”

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NEWSLINK The Nation Magazine/Stephen F. Cohen: “The Friends and Foes of Détente With Russia; The mere adumbration of Trump-Putin cooperation has sent American Russo-phobic cold warriors into a frenzy of preemptive opposition

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

“Nation Contributing Editor Stephen F. Cohen and John Batchelor continue their weekly discussions of the new US–Russian Cold War. … Last week’s discussion revisited episodes of US–Soviet détente in the 20th century, from Eisenhower and Nixon to Reagan, and the lessons to be learned from them. One was a pro-détente president’s need for determination, leadership skills, advisers, and domestic allies […]

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NEWSLINK New York Times: “Donald Trump’s New York Times Interview: Full Transcript”

Donald Trump

“… What do you see as America’s role in the world? Do you believe that the role … TRUMP: That’s such a big question. FRIEDMAN: The role that we played for 50 years as kind of the global balancer, paying more for things because they were in our ultimate interest, one hears from you, I sense, is really shrinking that […]

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NEWSLINK Financial Times/Neil Buckley: “Putin’s delight at Trump win may soon wither. Russia support for US president-elect’s foreign policy is likely to become strained.”

File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

“… Donald Trump’s victory has prompted near-jubilation in Russia. Even before the president-elect spoke to Vladimir Putin last week and pledged to rebuild ties, the Kremlin spokesman suggested the two men’s foreign policy views were ‘phenomenally close.’ Ordinary Russians, who spent much of last month being warned by state media that Washington was about to trigger a third world war […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Alaska has lessons for Trump in working with Russia” – Alaska Dispatch News/David Ramseur

… Trump … has a unique opportunity … to reset the worst relations between the U.S. and Russia since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. For a blueprint, Trump would be wise to look to Alaska. Beginning in the mid-1980s, citizen-diplomats from Alaska and the Russian Far East overcame tensions to melt the ‘Ice Curtain,’ which had prevented human contact across […]

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Putin Optimistic About OPEC Deal, Russia Is Ready to Freeze

Oil Well file photo

(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Ilya Arkhipov – November 21, 2016) Russian President Vladimir Putin said he sees no obstacles to an OPEC agreement this month after oil exporters made major progress in overcoming differences as he reaffirmed Russia is willing to freeze crude output at current levels. “Whether an agreement will be reached, I can’t say 100 percent, but there’s […]

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RUSSIALINK RBTH/Gazeta.ru: “Pitfalls as well as profit: Why Trump rule will also be a risk for Russia.”

Donald Trump

Russia has gleefully welcomed Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election, without having an inkling of his plans for the future. Political analyst Fyodor Lukyanov explains what surprises the new U.S. president may have in store for Moscow.

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NEWSWATCH: “Why Russians are so captivated by Trump. Negative feelings toward the US are higher than at any time since scientific polling began in #Russia in the mid-1980s. But many see the prospect for a turnaround.” – Christian Science Monitor/Fred Weir

Donald Trump

“… Russians have always been fascinated with the United States … the only country in the world that they will compare themselves with. Their attitudes … have swung over the decades between uncritical love and bitter hatred. … negative feelings are higher than at any time since scientific polling began in Russia in the mid-1980s, but … hopes aroused by […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Watch Out for Putin, Senators Warn Trump; On Capitol Hill, lawmakers express concern over president-elect’s foreign-policy ambiguity” – Wall Street Journal

File Photo of U.S. Capitol in Bright Sunlight

Two senior Senate Republicans are warning Donald Trump against cozying up to Moscow as lawmakers from both political parties voice alarm about potential consequences of the president-elect’s foreign-policy moves. Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, warned Tuesday against rapprochement with Moscow after what appeared to be an amicable Monday phone call between Mr. Trump and Russian […]

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READOUT OF PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD J. TRUMP’S PHONE CALL WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN

Donald Trump

(greatagain.gov) NOVEMBER 14, 2016 * MAKING NEWS For Immediate Release Monday, November 14, 2016 Media Contact: Media@ptt.gov (New York, NY) – President-elect Donald J. Trump today spoke with President Vladimir Putin, who called to offer his congratulations on winning a historic election. During the call, the two leaders discussed a range of issues including the threats and challenges facing the […]

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KREMLIN NEWS RELEASE: [Putin] Telephone conversation with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump

Vladimir Putin file photo with VOA logo; screen shot from video still

(Kremlin.ru – November 14, 2016) As agreed in advance by both sides, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump. The Russian President once again congratulated the US President-elect on his victory in the presidential election, wished him success in implementing his election programme and said he was ready to develop a dialogue of partnership with the […]

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