After publicly warning President-elect Donald Trump against making any deals with Russia or going forward with his planned normalization of ties, President Obama today made an agreement with EU officials aimed at locking in US hostility toward Russia into Trump’s term.
The deal committed the US to continuing sanctions against Russia until the ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine is seen to be “upheld.” In reality US officials make statements condemning the “continued fighting” in Eastern Ukraine far more often than any serious fighting happens there.
Obama also insisted that the US was committed to “stand up” to Russia in the name of “democratic values,” and pushed the European Union to continue their own anti-Russia sanctions, which while expected to be extended next month are also likely to be the last such extension according to most analysts.
NATO officials from the EU have been making daily statements since the US election chastising Trump for talking about improving relations with Russia during the campaign, and insisting that he has to uphold America’s “commitment to NATO” by continuing hostility.
Obama’s agreement today is far from locking the US permanently into that position, but NATO officials are also claiming they’ve been privately assured by Trump that he’s committed to the “enduring importance” of NATO, which in the view of pretty much everyone else in NATO means talking up war with Russia.
I wouldn’t read to much into Trump’s conciliatory tone with the Europeans.. Could be the equivalent of saying “nice doggie”, while your looking around for a stick to hit him with.
Can anyone explain why Obama is so obsessed with hostility towards Russia? What dös he Hope to gain?
a pseudo-mussle crown.
IMO, the USA is trying to provoke Russia, Iran and China, into doing something stupid, so that the USA has a reason to start a war with either or all of them. The USA of course is banking on Russia and China not to use nuclear weapons in retaliation (who’s stupid here?). The entire reason for this, of course, is the US dollar.
Russia ,China, and Iran want to start using a currency other than the US dollar for trade (including oil), which would entice other countries to drop the dollar, and cause US financial collapse. Iraq and Libya made the mistake of telegraphing their intention to do just that, and they paid the price.
“…and cause US financial collapse.”
Henny Penny hysteria or reality? You make the call.
If the dollar “collapsed”, and American workers’ wages were substantially reduced, then American exports would soar, jobs would blossom like the desert after a rainstorm, and the US standard of living and way of life would adjust to the change. Then after a while, Americans would become accustomed to the new way of things.
“The only constant is change.” Heraclitus of Ephesus
Large speaking fees from defense contractors and bankers.
Neocon puppet. Russia supports the “Hesbolah” terrorists, Obama supports the All Quaeta terrorists.
Obama looked like an inexperienced fool when his “reset button” with Russia didn’t work. Since then Putin has been making Obama look foolish on a regular basis (actually only Obama can make Obama look like a fool but Putin gets the credit and/or blame).
In the name of “democratic values”, Obama subnerts democracy.
Democracy is the concept that the power remains in the hands of the people. The people just clearly spoke, and yet Obama works hard at the opposite of what the people just voted for.
Of course, neither Ivy League schools nor the Chicago political machine ever had much use for democracy, no matter how often they toss around the word.
“The deal committed the US to continuing sanctions against Russia until
the ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine is seen to be “upheld.” In reality US
officials make statements condemning the “continued fighting”…”
With a new administration in power, (some new) ‘US officials’ may be making different statements and might decide the ceasefire IS seen to be ‘upheld’.
These commitments are dust in the wind the second Obama leaves office.
Also, it’s the Ukrainians and their backers who are responsible for continued fighting there, and the failure of the Minsk accords in general.