NEWSWATCH: “The problem isn’t Putin, it’s Russia; As relations worsen, US must realize Russia will not soon, if ever, become a liberal democracy” – PoliticoEU/ THOMAS GRAHAM
“The introduction of new sanctions by the United States on Russia has sent relations between the two countries to lows not seen since the end of the Cold War. Each side blames the other and claims to be seeking better relations …. the truth is that relations between the two countries have always been rocky, and the periods of cooperation have been brief. * * * Urgent global threats – the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism, climate change and pandemic diseases – require joint action by all major powers …. Washington and Moscow must recognize that the mounting global disorder necessitates a more balanced relationship that, without glossing over historical disagreements, would advance the interests of both.”