Category: United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
NEWSLINK: “NATO agrees Russian deterrent but avoids Cold War footing” – Reuters
RBTH: U.S. to spend $4.3 billion on ‘countering Russian aggression’
The White House has announced that a special sum allocated to fighting Russian influence in Europe and the former Soviet space will be included in the country’s budget for the 2017 fiscal year. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – MARINA KARPOVA, RBTH – February 11, 2016) The U.S. fiscal year 2017 budget will include $4.3 billion allocated “for political, […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “PUTIN IS ON THE ROPES-THAT’S NO TIME TO GIVE GROUND” – Newsweek/Atlantic Council/Diane Francis
NEWSWATCH: “Russian Intervention in Syrian War Has Sharply Reduced U.S. Options.” – New York Times
The New York Times covers the impact of Russian military intervention on U.S. policymaking on Syria. … the United States has insisted there can be no military solution to the Syrian civil war, only a political accord between … al-Assad and the fractured, divided opposition groups that have been trying to topple him. … days of intense bombing that could […]
» Read moreU.S., Russia Make Syria Diplomacy Push as Assad Gains Ground
(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Jonathan Tirone, Henry Meyer – February 10, 2016) The U.S. and Russia are seeking to revive Syrian peace talks as President Bashar al-Assad’s advance against rebels shifts the focus to the battlefield. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov will meet with foreign ministers from Europe and the Middle East in […]
» Read moreTRANSCRIPT: DNI – Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community [excerpt re: Russia] – Statement for the Record
(Senate Armed Services Committee – James R. Clapper, Director of National Intelligence – February 9, 2016) Leading Threat Actors Russia. Russia is assuming a more assertive cyber posture based on its willingness to target critical infrastructure systems and conduct espionage operations even when detected and under increased public scrutiny. Russian cyber operations are likely to target US interests to support […]
» Read moreU.S. National Intelligence Director Says Russia Is Paranoid, Aggressive
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Anna Dolgov – February 10, 2016) Russia is “paranoid” about NATO and is likely to continue “aggressive” actions this year to support its claim to great power status, U.S. National Intelligence Director James Clapper said in Senate testimony Tuesday. In a report on “Worldwide Threat Assessment” that Clapper presented to the Senate, Russia topped a […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Mr. Obama stands by silently as Russia continues its onslaught in Syria” – Washington Post
NEWSLINK: “NATO Moving Toward New Deterrence Model. Pact will set the stage for alliance to position troops on its borders for first time since the Cold War.” – Wall Street Journal
Putin’s New Internet Czar Wants Apple and Google to Pay More Taxes
(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Ilya Khrennikov and Stepan Kravchenko – February 8, 2016) When he’s not checking Gmail on his MacBook, Vladimir Putin’s new Internet czar can’t stop railing against American technology companies. Google, Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corp., collectively worth more than Russia’s gross domestic product, have all entered German Klimenko’s crosshairs since he was named Putin’s first Internet […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Ukrainian Ex-Premier’s Visit to Washington Highlights Obstacles Facing Peace Pact” [Yulia Tymoshenko] – New York Times
Why Russia is steaming back into the Pacific
Russia’s power projection in the Pacific is in sync with its growing assertiveness globally, but it doesn’t necessarily threaten the U.S. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – RAKESH KRISHNAN SIMHA, SPECIAL TO RBTH – February 4, 2016) Russia is expanding its military presence in the Pacific in a manner not seen since the Cold War. From California to Guam […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Russian ambassador sees U.S. ties at post-Cold War low” – Washington Times
NEWSLINK: “Defense Think Tank Pushes for New Talks Between Russia and NATO” – Wall Street Journal
NEWSLINK: “How NATO’s Military Buildup Will Test Russia. More weapons are on their way to Moscow’s neighbors.” – The National Interest/Nikolas Gvosdev
NEWSLINK: “Primakov Lecture by Henry A. Kissinger at the Gorchakov Fund in Moscow.” – Gorchakov Fund
Rose Gottemoeller: Washington, Moscow could settle INF problem in 2016
(Interfax – February 5, 2016) U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security State Rose Gottemoeller has given an interview to Interfax in which she speaks about U.S.-Russian issues over the INF Treaty and states that the United States is not going to return to the IV stage of its missile shield in Europe and not going […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “HOW THE WEST MISJUDGED RUSSIA. What Do the Normativists Stand For?” – The American Interest/Lilia Shevtsova
NEWSLINK: “America Reveals ‘Great Power’ Plans Against Russia and China” – The National Interest
NEWSLINK: “A NATO Message for Mr. Putin. A new combat brigade could deter ‘a little green men’ incursion” – Wall Street Journal
NEWSLINK: “For Putin, For Stalin. Fearful of unrest, Russia’s president is using the memory of Stalin to exhort his people to sacrifice.” – Foreign Policy/Hannah Thoburn
NEWSLINK: “The Pentagon’s Top Threat? Russia” – New York Times
NEWSLINK: “U.S. ambassador to Ukraine on Abromavicius: One of Ukrainian government’s great champions” – Interfax-Ukraine
What do the U.S. presidential candidates think about Russia?
On Feb. 1 the first important stage of the selection of presidential candidates from the Republican and Democratic parties – the Iowa Caucus – was held in Iowa. The subject of relations with Moscow is a key geopolitical trump for participants in the U.S. election race, with even those who are not too savvy in international politics making their position […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “Fighting for Iowa Voters, Bernie Sanders Leads in Yaroslavl. Soviet Union trip in 1988 created small but ardent Russian outpost of Bernie Sanders fans.” – Wall Street Journal
NEWSLINK: “Eastern Europe Cautiously Welcomes Larger U.S. Military Presence” – New York Times
NEWSLINK: “U.S. Fortifying Europe’s East to Deter Putin” – New York Times
Is There A Non-West for Russia to Lead?
(PONARS Eurasia – ponarseurasia.org – Keith Darden – January 28, 2016 – ponarseurasia.org/memo/non-west-for-russia-to-lead) Keith Darden is Associate Professor in the School of International Service at American University. (PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo) Recently, Russian policymakers and strategists have articulated a vision of a vibrant non-Western world, one in which the United States and European leaders are increasingly marginal and where Russia […]
» Read moreTranscript of Ambassador Tefft’s Interview with Russian Wire Services
(US Embassy Moscow – January 28, 2016) Ambassador John F. Tefft: I thought I’d start and say a couple of words, and then I’d take your questions to focus on what you want to talk about. I was back in Washington for a few weeks to see my children and my grandchildren. Like a good grandfather, I should be going […]
» Read moreRussia Sanctions Can Be Lifted If Minsk Implemented – U.S. Ambassador
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – January 29, 2016) Sanctions against Moscow can be lifted after it implements the Minsk peace agreement with Ukraine, including restoration of Kiev control over separatist eastern regions, the U.S. Ambassador in Moscow John Tefft said in an interview published on the U.S. Embassy’s website Thursday. Washington has the full backing of its European allies in […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK Militarytimes.com: “Russian aggression a top concern in U.S. European Command’s new military strategy”
NEWSLINK Militarytimes.com: “U.S. vs. Russia: What a war would look like between the world’s most fearsome militaries. VLADIMIR PUTIN’S BRAZEN MOVES IN SYRIA AND UKRAINE RAISE NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT AMERICA’S CONTINGENCY PLANS.”
NEWSLINK RBTH/Vzglyad: “Are Russia and the U.S. building military bases in Syria? The global media are increasingly reporting that the U.S. and Russia are building military bases in Syria”
Russian Entente Nears as Allies Give Ukraine Sanctions Hint
(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – January 26, 2016) After almost two years on the outside, signs are growing that Russia may soon be invited in from the cold. The worsening of crises from Syria to Libya are forcing the international community to reconsider sanctions slapped on President Vladimir Putin’s government over Ukraine as a way of getting a key diplomatic power […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK UNIAN (Kyiv): “Ukraine gets $266 mln from U.S. over two years – Pyatt”
Schooling in Moscow: A Mixed Bag
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Vasily Kolotilov – January 25, 2016) “Some of the boys called my son “Obama’s little spy,” says Jynks Burton. “But they’re at that age I suppose, always looking for something to tease other boys about …” Burton’s eight-year-old son, Alex, makes a scowling face. He says he doesn’t want to talk about the incident. The […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “McDonald’s to open more than 60 restaurants in Russia in 2016” – Reuters
NEWSLINK: “A U.S.-Russia Fabergé Exhibit on Ice. Stalled Fabergé exhibit points to chill between American and Russian museums.” – Wall Street Journal
Buzzfeed.com: Marco Rubio: U.S. Has No Choice But To Try To Improve Relations With Russia. “We have no choice but to meet with and look for ways to improve the relationship,” Rubio said Thursday.
NEWSLINK: “What the Falling Oil Price Means for Russia and Ukraine” – Atlantic Council/Anders Aslund
NEWSLINK The Guardian/Shaun Walker: “Caught between Russia and the US? The curious case of Ukraine’s Dmytro Firtash. Critics say the oligarch now living in exile pushed Putin’s agenda during Maidan revolution while a US arrest warrant appeared politically motivated.”
Kudrin: Sanctions against Russia could start to ease late 2016-early 2017
(Interfax – January 22, 2016) Relations between Russia and the West are normalizing and sanctions will be lifted, Alexei Kudrin, a former Russian finance minister, said. “I’m sure the sanctions will start to soften at the end of this year or start of next year. Nobody in Russia wants to keep up confrontation. I think the Minsk accords will be […]
» Read moreU.S. Beats Russia in ‘Most Powerful’ Ranking
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – January 22, 2016) Russia is second only to its former Cold War foe the United States in terms of its power to influence the global agenda but lags behind many other countries in most categories, a new ranking presented at the Davos World Economic Forum said. Moscow scored a 9.4 in the “Power” category, which […]
» Read moreInterfax: Revocation of accreditation from Russia’s honorary consuls in U.S. continues Washington’s line towards scaling down of relations with Russia – Russian Foreign Ministry
MOSCOW. Jan 22 (Interfax) – Moscow is outraged by the revocation of accreditation from five of Russia’s honorary consuls in the United States, and sees it as a continuation of Washington’s line towards the scaling down of relations with Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. “We are outraged by Washington’s decision to recall accreditation from five of the […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK “White House slams Russia over killing of former spy” – The Hill
Russia Pushing for An Endgame in Ukraine
(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Matthew Bodner – January 21, 2016) The appearance of one of President Vladimir Putin’s most enigmatic associates, Vladislav Surkov, at a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland last Friday has sparked speculation that Moscow and Washington are approaching an endgame in Ukraine after two years of conflict. “That is was Surkov, and […]
» Read moreNEWSLINK: “In Ukraine, an Opportunity for Progress Between Russia and the West” – Stratfor
Peskov: Surkov, Nuland hold expert dialogue on settlement in Ukraine
(Interfax – January 20, 2016) The negotiations held between Russian Presidential Aide Vladislav Surkov and Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State, in Kaliningrad with regard to the settlement in Ukraine were an expert exchange of opinions between Moscow and Washington, which is not a member of the ‘Normandy […]
» Read moreU.S., Russia Start Syria Negotiations Amid Threat to Peace Talks
(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Henry Meyer – January 20, 2016) The top U.S. and Russian diplomats began talks in Zurich Wednesday to try to bridge divisions over which belligerents in Syria’s five-year civil war should be labeled “terrorist,” an issue that threatens to hold up the start of peace talks. John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov need to strike a deal […]
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