ISW: Russian president seeks reset with Trump administration on Moscow’s terms

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is making efforts to shape US President-elect Donald Trump’s foreign policy approach, seeking to achieve a reset in US-Russia relations on Moscow’s terms.

Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club on 7 November, Putin referenced Trump’s campaign rhetoric, noting what he called a “desire to restore relations with Russia, to help end the Ukrainian crisis,” ISW reported.

According to the ISW analysis, Putin placed responsibility for deteriorating bilateral relations on Washington, citing US sanctions and support for Ukraine. The report points out that Putin notably omitted mentioning these measures were implemented in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The assessment indicates Putin would condition any reset on the US abandoning sanctions and ending support for Ukraine.

“Putin’s statement implies that Russia would only accept any reset in US-Russia relations if the US dropped sanctions and restrictions against Russia and stopped supporting Ukraine,” ISW writes.

The report states that the Russian president characterized NATO as a “blatant anachronism” and portrayed BRICS as a non-bloc alternative. However, ISW notes that this contrasts with Moscow’s actions in “forming a new anti-Western bloc composed of Iran, North Korea, and China.”

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