Putin tests Trump with counterpunch on sanctions
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to curtail American staff at diplomatic posts by more than 750 people could herald a frosty turn in Moscow’s relations with the United States.
It is the harshest such diplomatic action since the waning days of the Cold War and is almost certain to ratchet up tensions between two governments that were already struggling to find common ground.
President Trump has long talked of wanting to work with Russia, and Putin’s government appeared receptive. But since Trump’s inauguration, the controversy over Moscow’s meddling in the presidential election has only grown, creating a significant barrier to closer ties.
Putin indicated that he is done waiting for relations with the U.S. to improve. He called the diplomatic measures “biting” when announcing them on Sunday, a shift in tone since two chummy encounters with Trump on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit.
The tensions between the U.S. and Russia are flaring up over a familiar subject: economic sanctions.
Congress last week approved sanctions legislation related to Russia’s election meddling, and Trump has indicated he will sign it.
The president’s acceptance of the sanctions is likely being seen in Russia as evidence that he is limited in his ability to improve relations, experts say. One of the features of the bill is that it restricts Trump’s authority to lift sanctions on Russia without congressional approval.
“The Russians are disappointed. They had hoped for some kind of a reset under President Trump and they haven’t seen that,” said Steven Pifer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/344680-putin-tests-trump-with-counterpunch-on-sanctions
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