Newly elected US President Donald Trump has been in the office for more than a week, but many experts are still in the dark on what will be the administration’s policy towards Russia and whether it will maintain sanctions imposed over the Kremlin’s aggression against Ukraine. Thus, many hoped to get things clarified following the American president’s first call with the Russian leader since taking office, which was held on January 28 and lasted for 40 minutes. However, this has not happened. Moreover, the press services of the two presidents still disagreed regarding topics covered in the Trump-Putin conversation.
For example, the Kremlin press service’s report reads as follows: “Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump had a detailed discussion of pressing international issues, including the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, the Arab-Israeli conflict, strategic stability, and non-proliferation, the situation with Iran’s nuclear program, and the Korean Peninsula issue. The discussion also touched upon the main aspects of the Ukrainian crisis. The sides agreed to build up partner cooperation in these and other areas.”
Meanwhile, the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer tweeted that “the positive call was a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair.” But most importantly, the US president’s press office did not mention Ukraine among the topics discussed. It just stressed: “Both President Trump and President Putin are hopeful that after today’s call the two sides can move quickly to tackle terrorism and other important issues of mutual concern.”
It should be noted that before this call, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee John McCain warned Trump that he needed to be careful in conversation with Putin. In particular, he said: “The president should remember that the man on the other end of the line is a murderer and a thug who seeks to undermine American national security interests at every turn. For our commander-in-chief to think otherwise would be naive and dangerous.”
By the way, British Prime Minister Theresa May, who visited the US past week, also indirectly called on the Republican president to be cautious about relations with Russia in her speech before leadership of the Republican Party. In particular, she said: “When it comes to Russia, as so often it is wise to turn to the example of President Reagan who – during negotiations with his opposite number Mikhail Gorbachev – used to abide by the adage ‘trust but verify.’ With President Putin, my advice is to ‘engage but beware.’”
French President Francois Hollande, who also had a call with Trump on January 28, raised the issue of the conflict in Ukraine and insisted that sanctions on Russia might only be lifted when the Minsk Agreements are implemented.
The situation in eastern Ukraine was discussed also during a 45-minute conversation between US president and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany is known to favor maintaining sanctions against Russia until full implementation of the Minsk Agreements. We do not know how Trump reacted to the arguments of the two participants of the Normandy format who called for maintaining the anti-Russian sanctions in force until Russia fully implements the Minsk Agreements.
Still, probably the most important question in this situation is this: will Trump follow the example of Ronald Reagan, who conducted his policy towards the former Soviet Union from a position of strength, in his dealings with Russian leader, and will he listen to warnings coming from his allies and fellow party members, who are well aware of the threats posed by Russia’s revisionist policy?
COMMENTARIES
John HERBST, Director, Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center, Atlantic Council, former US Ambassador to Ukraine, Washington, D.C.:
“President Trump’s early call to President Putin is more evidence of his fixation on improving relations with Moscow. In the past, in talking about this possibility, he has given short shrift to the problem of Kremlin aggression in Ukraine and efforts to undermine NATO, and has spoken about easing sanctions on Russia. It is a positive that in the call today Ukraine was discussed and, as far as we know, there was no talk about sanctions. It is also a positive that at the press conference with the British Prime Minister, Trump said that it is early to talk about lifting sanctions.
“Still, what we need is a clear indication that the new US President understands Mr. Putin’s revisionist polices and is ready to take the strong steps necessary, including in support of Ukraine, to ensure that those policies fail.”
Adrian KARATNYCKY, senior research fellow, US Atlantic Council; Myrmidon Group LLC, Washington D.C.:
“It’s increasingly clear that the Trump Presidency does not represent Republican government, but a completely different political phenomenon distinct from conservatism or liberalism. It is as if a third party captured the presidency. If present trends continue, this will mean that both Democrats and Republicans will be opposition parties. It will mean the beginning of efforts to legislatively constrain this radical third force, and the beginning of the end of the powerful presidency inherited from the Cold War. Welcome to what the French call co-habitation.
“While the Trump-Putin discussion did not signal any erosion of the sanctions regime nor portend any US concessions to Moscow, the fact that it occurred in the absence of any Administration Russia experts (none exist, thus far) and without the Secretary of Defense and without the Secretary of State in place shows that there is a great deal of effort by Trump insiders – and perhaps Trump himself – to fashion policy in the absence of deep knowledge. This type of arrogance, this Trumpian self-assuredness is dangerous.
“As a result, main voices in Congress and among Western leaders are being heard. They are all sending strong signals to Trump to tread carefully with Putin. I hope they will have an effect. If they do not, we can expect the emergence of a bi-partisan coalition to try to rein Trump in on the Russia relationship.
“Nevertheless, such a turn of events would lead to deadlock, confusion, and nervous uncertainty in the Western alliance. All trends that Mr. Putin will welcome as they erode Western power.”
January 27, 2017. Washington. Prime Minister of the UK Theresa May was the first foreign leader to meet with the newly elected US President Donald Trump after he took office. At a joint press conference with the American leader, she said that sanctions imposed on Russia over its actions in Ukraine should remain in force until the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. For his part, the resident of the White House refused to comment on the issue of lifting sanctions imposed on Russia over its aggression against Ukraine
REUTERS photo
