Category: United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
RUSSIALINK: “Russia Accuses NATO of Ignoring De-Escalation Proposals” – Moscow Times
In addition to closing Ukraine’s door to NATO membership, the Russian president demands that the Western military alliance halt weapons deployment on its western border […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russians View U.S. More Positively Despite Soaring Tensions – Poll” – Moscow Times
Russians are more likely to have a positive view of the United States than view it negatively, according to a new independent survey […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russia Sends Security Proposals to U.S. as Ukraine Tensions Soar” – Moscow Times
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Dec. 15, 2021) President Vladimir Putin said Russia has sent the United States its proposals on mutual security guarantees amid high tensions between the countries over Ukraine, Interfax reported Wednesday. Russia’s Foreign Ministry passed the offer to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried, who is in Moscow after visiting Kiev amid fears of Russia […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russia Threatens ‘Military Response’ to NATO Expansion” – Moscow Times
Russia will respond “militarily” to what it perceives as NATO’s encroachment on its western borders, a senior diplomat said […]
» Read moreBiden-Putin Call Solves Nothing, U.S. Signals ‘Deterrence by Punishment’
(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Nikolas K. Gvosdev – Dec. 9, 2021) Nikolas K. Gvosdev is a professor of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College and a non-residential fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Now that the first waves of commentary on the Dec. 7 video summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Joe Biden threatens Vladimir Putin with gas embargo over Ukraine” – The Times (UK)
“Don’t dare try another Crimea, he warns Russian president.” “… Biden has warned … Putin that the West will target Russian gas exports and deploy more troops to eastern Europe if [Putin] orders an invasion of Ukraine. … [T]he U.S. national security adviser[] said … this … likely … include[d] stopping … gas … through … Nord Stream 2 …. […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Putin and Biden Speak: What They Discussed” – Moscow Times
The Russian and U.S. leaders talked about rising tensions for two hours, but the path forward for both sides, and Ukraine, remains unclear […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “CIA Chief Says Intelligence Agencies Haven’t Concluded Russia Will Invade Ukraine” – WSJ
Russian President Putin is assembling a potent military force and may see a chance to act this winter, William Burns says […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “U.S. intelligence-sharing convinces allies of Russian threat to Ukraine” – Financial Times
Skeptical capitals including Berlin persuaded of the need to draw up threat of robust sanctions […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “U.S. Hope for Iran Nuclear Talks Now Rests on China, Russia” – WSJ
“Beijing has greater economic clout and more aggressive foreign policy than during original talks for 2015 deal.” “… Even as U.S. tensions mount with Russia … and … China … Western officials acknowledge that the fastest route to increasing economic and political pressure on Tehran’s new hard-line government runs through Moscow and especially Beijing. China helped Iran stabilize its economy […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Kremlin expecting Putin-Biden talks to be substantive, long” – Interfax
MOSCOW. Dec 6 (Interfax) – A virtual meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden is expected to take place after 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday and to continue for a long time, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. “At around 6:00 p.m. We expect the videoconference to be quite long and substantive. The conference will […]
» Read moreChina’s Arctic Ambitions Could Make or Break U.S.-Russian Relations in the Region
(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Ingrid Burke Friedman – Dec. 1, 2021) Ingrid Burke Friedman is a fellow at Harvard University’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies and Features Editor at JURIST Legal News & Commentary. She previously served as a consular officer with the U.S. State Department. While U.S.-Russian relations continue to deteriorate in many spheres, the Arctic […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Blinken and Lavrov talks break up after 30 minutes” – bne Intellinews/ Ben Aris
“U.S. Secretary of State Blinken met with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in Stockholm as tensions continue to escalate, but spent only 30 minutes in discussions, suggesting little progress was made in walking back the crisis.” “… Blinken appealed to … Lavrov to choose diplomacy over coercion … Amongst the most painful sanctions that Washington has so far held in reserve […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia Expels Some U.S. Diplomats in Latest Tit-for-Tat Action” – WSJ
“Russia indicates that the move was in retaliation for Washington’s expulsion of more than 50 Russian diplomats.” “Russia ordered U.S. Embassy staff … in Moscow for more than three years to leave the country by Jan. 31 … [even as] diplomats [will soon] hold talks to address the worsening [U.S.-Russian] relationship …. Foreign ministry officials … indicated that the decision […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin’s Ukraine gambit seen as part of play for new Biden summit” – Reuters
“… U.S., NATO and Ukrainian officials have raised the alarm in recent weeks over what they say are unusual Russian troop movements closer to Ukraine, suggesting that Moscow may be poised to launch a new attack on its neighbour, accusations Russia has rejected as fear-mongering. … Putin already got the attention of Biden’s White House once this year by massing […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia, China sign roadmap for closer military cooperation” – AP
“Russia’s defense chief [Sergei Shoigu] … signed a roadmap for closer military ties with China …. Russia has sought to expand ties with China as … relations with the U.S. and its allies sank to post-Cold War lows over … [Russia’s] annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea[], accusations of Russian hacking attacks, interference in elections and other disputes. … Russia and China […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Kremlin Blasts ‘Divisive’ U.S. Democracy Summit Snub” – Moscow Times
Around 110 countries have been invited to the virtual summit … snubbing Russia and China … Invitees from the former Soviet world include Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia and Georgia and the three Baltic states […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Kremlin Slams U.S. ‘Hysteria’ Over Ukraine Conflict” – Moscow Times
Peskov’s comments come after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken … declined to say whether U.S. intelligence believed … Putin was aiming to seize land from Ukraine […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Glasgow Deals Prompt Russia Rethink on Coal Plans, Carbon Tax” – Bloomberg/ Evgenia Pismennaya, Yuliya Fedorinova
“Russia will look to cut its ambitious goals for boosting coal production … and consider imposing a carbon tax or other regulation in the wake of … the COP26 summit … according to two officials familiar with the plans. But Russia won’t join the global agreement to reduce methane emissions, [they] said, speaking on condition of anonymity …. [Russia] is […]
» Read moreRussian Analyst Involved In Salacious Trump Dossier Pleads Innocent To Lying To FBI
A U.S.-based Russian analyst who gathered information for the so-called Steele Dossier alleging ties between Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia pleaded innocent to charges of lying to FBI agents […]
» Read moreFooting Restored: Nudging Ukraine Forward in the Biden-Zelensky Era
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of Ukraine’s independence and thirty years of Ukrainian-U.S. diplomatic relations […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russia, U.S. conducting cybersecurity dialogue – Peskov” – Interfax
MOSCOW. Nov 9 (Interfax) – Moscow and Washington are conducting cybersecurity dialogue, but the details of this dialogue cannot be relayed to the public, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “A mechanism of cybersecurity consultations has been launched between the relevant agencies of the two sides in furtherance of the agreements reached at the Geneva summit. This dialogue is continuing,” Peskov […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Putin discussed bilateral relations, diplomatic crisis, regional conflicts on the phone with CIA’s Burns – Peskov” – Interfax
MOSCOW. Nov 8 (Interfax) – Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke over the phone with United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns during the latter’s recent visit to Moscow, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. “That’s right, such a conversation did take place over the phone,” Peskov told journalists on Monday when asked whether Putin spoke with Burns […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Analyst who aided Trump-Russia dossier charged with lying” – AP
“… Russian analyst [Igor Danchenko,] who contributed to … Democratic-funded research into ties between Russia and Donald Trump[,] was arrested … on charges of lying to the FBI about his sources … among them a longtime supporter of Hillary Clinton. … [P]art of … [an] ongoing [special counsel] investigation[,] …. the indictment … endorse[s] a longstanding concern … that opposition […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “CIA director brings up Russian hackers at talks in Moscow – sources” – Reuters
Burns’ trip coincided with developments in both countries that highlighted their tensions over cybersecurity, where no progress has been reported […]
» Read moreU.S. Not Yet Alarmed by Russian Military Buildup Near Ukraine, Top General Says
“So, what does this mean? We don’t know yet,” Milley said. “But we’re continuing to monitor with all of our capabilities” […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russia Calls on U.S. to Beef Up Understaffed Moscow Embassy” – Moscow Times
Russia is calling on the United States to send embassy staff to Moscow in order to resume U.S. visa services, senior Russian diplomats said […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Kremlin Pushes Back on Biden’s Climate Criticism” – Moscow Times
Russia, as well as fellow major polluters China and India, did not sign the U.S. and EU-led Global Methane Pledge to cut methane emissions 30% by 2030 …. [but] the world’s fourth-largest greenhouse gas emitter[] did join over 100 countries … promising to end deforestation by 2030 […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin: Russia must build up defenses in view of NATO moves” – AP/ Vladimir Isachenkov
“… Russia has bristled at … U.S. and other NATO ships … [T]ensions between Moscow and the West have sunk to post-Cold War lows after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, … [the] insurgency in eastern Ukraine and other irritants. … Russia suspended its [NATO] mission … and ordered the closure of [NATO’s] office in Moscow after NATO … […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Archie Brown Is Awarded the Pushkin House Book Prize: ‘The Human Factor: Gorbachev, Reagan and Thatcher and the End of the Cold War'” – Moscow Times
The 9th Pushkin House Book Prize was awarded to Archie Brown, Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Oxford, for “The Human Factor: Gorbachev, Reagan and Thatcher and the End of the Cold War,” published by Oxford University Press.
» Read moreRussia Approves Additional Overflight Permits For U.S. Airlines
The United States says Russia has approved U.S. airlines’ requests for more overflight permits after … passenger and cargo carriers .. “urgently” ask[ed] for … State Department[] help in dealing with Moscow.
» Read moreNotes on Valdai 2021: Putin Touts Russia’s ‘Healthy Conservatism’
(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Angela Stent – Oct. 27, 2021) Angela Stent is senior adviser to the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies and professor emerita of government and foreign service at Georgetown University, and a member of the Russia Matters editorial board. This year’s session of the annual Valdai International Discussion Club was organized in hybrid fashion, […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “U.S. Warns Moscow Embassy Could Stop Functioning Due to Visa Row” – Moscow Times
The U.S. embassy in Moscow could stop performing most functions next year unless there is progress with Russia on increasing the number of visas for diplomats […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia, U.S. Release Latest Nuclear Weapons Counts as Moscow-NATO Ties Collapse” – Newsweek
“… Russia counted 527 deployed … ICBMs[] … SLBMs[] and heavy bombers, 1,458 warheads on deployed ICBMs … SLBMs and … heavy bombers as well as 742 deployed and non-deployed launchers of ICBMs, deployed and non-deployed launchers of SLBMs and deployed and non-deployed heavy bombers. … with U.S. figures at 665 deployed ICBMs … SLBMs and heavy bombers; 1,389 warheads […]
» Read moreU.S. Official Tells Europe Not To Waive Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Approval Process
A senior U.S. state department official has warned Europe against bowing to Russian pressure and waiving the lengthy process needed to approve Nord Stream 2, a controversial Baltic Sea natural gas pipeline to Germany […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “The U.S. Air Force Has A Base Right Next To Russia. It Just Sent F-16s To Visit.” – Forbes
“… The Air Force recently stepped up its Agile Combat Employment practice when it sent at least two F-16s from the 18th Aggressor Squadron, based at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, to Eareckson Air Station on Shemya Island [near the western end of the Aleutians]. The six-square-mile island lies just 200 miles from the Russian coast. …. ‘To the […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s Move to Cut NATO Ties Complicates Biden’s Pivot to China” – Wall Street Journal
Moscow will withdraw its diplomats and close the alliance’s Russian office following NATO’s expulsion of Russian officials as spies […]
» Read moreJRL NEWSWATCH: “U.S., Georgia sign military training pact amid Russian threat on the Black Sea” – Defense News
“U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Georgian counterpart on Monday signed an agreement to extend U.S.-led military training …. ahead of [Austin’s] visits to other Black Sea allies Ukraine and Romania to deliver a message of ‘unwavering’ support for their sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian threats. Since Russia’s war with Georgia, it has had a […]
» Read moreThe Global War on Chechnya: What Does 9/11 Teach Us About Counterterrorism Cooperation With Russia?
(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Paul Kolbe – Oct. 13, 2021) Paul Kolbe is the director of the Intelligence Project at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. A colleague of mine who worked closely with Russian security services on sharing intelligence in the weeks and months after the 9/11 attacks was fond of pointing out a fundamental disconnect. […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “‘The Human Factor’ Shines New Light on Recent History; Author Archie Brown’s book expands our understanding of one of history’s key periods” – Moscow Times
How important was the true-believing communist son of Stavropol peasants, the actor son of a Midwestern traveling salesman, or the staid, provincial daughter of a Lincolnshire shopkeeper? […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “No substantial progress made on operations of Russian, U.S. embassies at talks with Nuland – Deputy FM Ryabkov” – Interfax
MOSCOW. Oct 12 (Interfax) – Russia does not rule out a further escalation of tensions in bilateral relations with the United States, in particular, in the functioning of Russian and U.S. embassies, and this concern has been relayed to the U.S. side, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax on Tuesday. He held consultations with U.S. Under Secretary of […]
» Read moreU.S.-Russian Cyber Stability Needs ‘Drunken Party’ Approach: Limits, Deterrence and Communication
With mistrust high between the U.S. and Russia, it is not clear that normative agreements can really enhance cyber stability, especially without enforcement and deterrence […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan: I hope we’ll see further progress at strategic stability talks in Geneva but I wouldn’t expect immediate breakthrough” – Interfax
(Interfax – Sept. 30, 2021 – interfax.com/newsroom/exclusive-interviews/72748/) U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan has given an interview to Interfax. He speaks about prospects of U.S.-Russia dialogue on strategic stability, Nord Stream 2, possible new U.S. sanctions, U.S. citizens incarcerated in Russia, Iran, as well as ‘visa war’ with Russia. Question: A few months have passed since the Russian-U.S. summit in […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Russian MP calls potential U.S. decision to close door on foreigners vaccinated with Sputnik V discriminatory” – Interfax
MOSCOW. Sept 28 (Interfax) – Chairman of the seventh State Duma’s Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky has described as discriminatory a decision which the U.S. media say is being prepared in the United States to deny entry for foreigners immunized with the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V. “Thus, the U.S. will blatantly embark on a path of ‘vaccine discrimination.’ There […]
» Read moreRussian Attitudes Toward West Improve Despite Feelings of Isolation
(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Aleksandra Srdanovic – Sept. 21, 2021) Aleksandra Srdanovic is a graduate student at Harvard University and a student associate with Russia Matters. The Levada Center recently polled Russians on their attitudes toward Russia’s general standing in the international community, as well as their attitudes toward strategic competitors and countries within the post-Soviet neighborhood. Polling shows […]
» Read moreNext Generation of Russians Will Be More Anti-Western than Current One, Chesnokov Says
(Paul Goble – Window On Eurasia – Staunton, Sept. 20, 2021) “If present trends continue,” Edvard Chesnokov says, “the next generation of Russian rulers will be even more anti-Western than the present one,” the result of the West’s double standards when it comes to Russia and recognition by Russia’s rulers that they must stand up to such pressure. The Komsomolskaya […]
» Read moreU.S. State Department: “The Russian Federation’s Duma Elections”
The September 17-19 Duma elections in the Russian Federation took place under conditions not conducive to free and fair proceedings […]
» Read moreWhy the U.S. Should Rethink Its Russia-centric Ukraine Policy
(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Nicolai N. Petro – Sept. 9, 2021) Nicolai N. Petro is a professor of political science at the University of Rhode Island, specializing in Ukraine and Russia. His latest book, “Ukraine in Crisis,” was published by Routledge in 2017. Ahead of this month’s visit to Washington, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy gave a sense of his […]
» Read moreRUSSIALINK: “Most Russians Say Their Country is Isolated – Poll” – Moscow Times
A majority of Russians believe that their country is isolated on the world stage, according to an independent poll […]
» Read more