NEWSLINK: “Do the US and Russia need clearer rules of engagement? Trump and Putin’s recent attempt at rapprochement already appears to be falling apart. And even as relations seethe, Washington and Moscow lack shared understanding of what is permissible in the diplomacy, cyber, and political spheres.” – Christian Science Monitor/ Fred Weir

“… Russian cold war veterans say that efforts to maintain positive diplomatic dialogue have always been hostage to daily headlines and adverse geopolitical events. But today, they say, channels of communication appear woefully inadequate and there is no preexisting set of rules to fall back on – straining basic, practical communication between the US and Russia. … The mood in Moscow appears to be in favor of hunkering down and waiting till the Trump-Russia storm subsides in Washington, even if that means returning to some cold war defaults – like tit-for-tat expulsions – in the meantime. …”