In his first press conference as president of the United States,
Donald Trump said no fewer than seven times that it would be “positive,”
“good,” even “great” if “we could get along with Russia.” In fact, for
all the confusion of his policies toward China, Europe, and the Middle
East, Trump has enunciated a clear three-part position on Russia, which
contrasts strongly with that of most of the U.S. political elite. First,
Trump seeks Moscow’s cooperation on global issues; second, he believes
that Washington shares the blame for soured relations; and third, he acknowledges
“the right of all nations to put their own interests first,” adding
that the United States does “not seek to impose our way of life on
anyone.”
The last of these is an essentially realist position, and
if coherently implemented could prove a tonic. For 25 years,
Republicans and Democrats have acted in ways that look much the same to
Moscow. Washington has pursued policies that have ignored Russian
interests (and sometimes international law as well) in order to encircle
Moscow with military alliances and trade blocs conducive to U.S.
interests. It is no wonder that Russia pushes back. The wonder is that
the U.S. policy elite doesn’t get this, even as foreign-affairs neophyte
Trump apparently does. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russian-federation/2017-03-10/russia-trump-and-new-d-tente
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