FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Wednesday [10-4-17] that relations with America had ‘become hostage to the internal political situation in the U.S.,’ but that his country had many friends in the United States who can help improve relations between the two nations when the political tensions in America settle down…
Ties between Moscow and Washington have ebbed and flowed since President Trump took office, despite Russian lawmakers’ Champagne toast after election night in hopes that Mr. Trump would make significant moves in Russia’s favor.
Speaking about his personal relationship with President Trump on Wednesday, Mr. Putin said that there was basically ‘none.’…
The two leaders met in July in Hamburg, Germany, at a Group of 20 summit meeting, at which they had a long official conversation and also a shorter private one…
Mr. Trump has repeatedly expressed admiration for Mr. Putin’s leadership style.
Many in Russia had hoped that Mr. Trump would lift the sanctions imposed by the United States over Moscow’s decision to annex Crimea and destabilize Ukraine, and that he would give Russia a free hand to act in the former Soviet republics.
None of that has been realized, however. Instead, relations between the two countries has sunk even deeper as further revelations have surfaced about Russia’s meddling in the United States presidential election campaign…
Still, Mr. Putin expressed optimism about the future of Russia’s relationship with the United States.”
-Ivan Nechepurenko, “Putin Says Russia Has ‘Many Friends’ in U.S. Who Can Mend Relations,” The New York Times online, Oct. 4, 2017