Caught in a vicious cycle of retaliation, the U.S. ordered three Russian diplomatic missions in San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and New York City to shut their doors. Started Dec. 30, 2016 when former President Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats for alleged meddling in the 2016 election, Russian President Vladimir Putin held off on responding in-kind waiting to see how things would go with President Donald Trump. Trump ran his campaign promising to improve U.S.-Russian relations, falling to post-Cold War lows under Obama. But as the Russian investigation heated up in Congress, the mood on Capitol Hill turned more negative toward Moscow, preventing Trump from taking steps to turn things around. When Trump met with Putin at the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany July 19, the world hoped the two leaders would find common ground and improve ties.
Trump’s meeting with Putin was so successful that war hawks on Capitol Hill led by Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) did their utmost to sabotage his attempt to reset U.S.-Russian relations. One week later July 27, the U.S. Senate passed new sanctions against the Russian Federation, finally pushing Putin to retaliate, ordering 755 personnel out of the U.S. embassy in Moscow, cutting the workforce by two-thirds. “We are requiring the Russian government to close its Consulate General in San Francisco, a chancery annex in Washington D.C. and a consular annex in New York City,” said State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert Aug. 31. “These closures will need to be accomplished by Sept. 2,” giving Russia almost no time to shutter diplomatic offices. While ordering the closures, Russian personnel were not required to leave the country.
Pushing U.S.-Russian relations to the brink, the Congress continues its investigations implicating Russia in meddling with the 2016 campaign. Appointing former FBI Director Robert Mueller May 17 to head the investigation into alleged collusion by the Trump campaign hasn’t helped the toxic atmosphere toward Russia on Capitol Hill. Daily speculation about Russian meddling and Trump collusion in the 2016 election has made improving U.S.-Russian relations all but impossible. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, once considered a pro-Russian voice, promised to respond to Putin expulsion of 755 diplomatic personnel in Moscow. Given the volatile situation in North Korea, it’s the worst possible time to have a spat with Russia. U.S. needs Russia and China to apply more pressure on North Korea to abandon it nuke and ballistic missile programs threatening the U.S.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he wants mutually respectful relations with the U.S. but told University students in Moscow that it takes two to tango, when it comes to improving relations. Lavrov said Moscow would study a response to the latest State Department move. “But as you know, it takes two to tango and so far I think our partners are time and again performing individual break-dancing,” Lavrov said, promising a new response. Passing the new Russian sanctions bill July 27 prevented Trump from modifying sanctions without Congressional consent. Trump signed the sanctions bill Aug. 2 under duress knowing Congress had the votes to override a presidential veto. When you consider the importance of U.S.-Russian relations, especially dealing with global crises like North Korea, Congress acted irresponsibly in a shortsighted way.
Writing on the Kremlin Website, Putin warned against trying to intimidate North Korea into making concessions. “It is essential to resolve the region’s problems through direct dialogue involving all sides without advancing any preconditions [for such talk],” wrote Putin. “Provocations, pressure and bellicose and offensive rhetoric is the road to nowhere,” expressing platitudes but ignoring North Korea’s nuclear threats against the U.S.. Putin would sing a different tune if North Korea’s 33-year-old dictator Kim Jong-un threatened to turn the Kremlin to ashes, like he’s threatened the U.S. Putin urged the U.S. to abandon its war games with South Korea in exchange for North Korea scaling back its nuke and ballistic missile program. Unlike the U.S., Putin has no problem with Kim getting a nuclear-tipped Intercontinental Ballistic Missile [ICBM], something that would threaten U.S. national security.
U.S.-Russian relations won’t improve until the Congressional and Special Counsel investigations end. As long as Congress and Mueller continue to demonize Russia and Trump’s alleged collusion in the 2016 election, it’s impossible to mend fences with Moscow. With the U.S. dealing with nuclear threats from North Korea, it’s easy for Putin to call for more diplomatic conversations. If the shoe were on the other foot and Russia were threatened with nuclear attack, Putin wouldn’t talk concessions with North Korea. Tillerson’s ability to conduct U.S. foreign policy has been severely compromised by Congress. Passing more sanctions on Russia July 27, Congress undermined the White House from conducting foreign policy, including improving U.S.-Russian relations. Congress needs to urgently prioritize what’s important given pressing global threats.
