**The Shifting Tides of US-Russia Relations**
It’s a challenge to keep up with the ever-changing views of Donald Trump on Russia. The US president is known for his unpredictable nature, and it seems that his thoughts on Russia are no exception.
Recently, Trump’s comments about Russia have been decidedly chilly. Following a phone conversation between Trump and Vladimir Putin on July 3, Trump revealed that they had made no progress in ending the war in Ukraine. “I’m not happy about that,” he added. Just four days later, Trump threatened to impose a 10 percent tariff on any country aligned with BRICS, which includes Russia.
This week, Trump’s frustration boiled over at a cabinet meeting, where he used strong language to describe Putin. “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin,” Trump said. This has led to increased tensions between the two nations, with the Kremlin calling for continued dialogue to mend their broken bilateral relations.
**A Shift in Russian Coverage**
The shift in Trump’s tone on Russia has also been reflected in the way he is covered in Russian media. Gone are the days of positive coverage and optimism about US-Russia relations. Instead, Russian papers have been quick to criticize Trump’s “mercurial temperament” and “propensity for sudden moods and chaotic changes of direction”.
The Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper accused Trump of having an “absence of geopolitical achievements”, while Moskovsky Komsomolets wrote about his “chaotic changes of direction”. Even the usually measured Arguments and Facts mocked Trump over Elon Musk’s new America Party.
**A Blow to US-Russia Relations**
The recent downturn in US-Russia relations has been a blow to efforts to strengthen ties between the two nations. Earlier this year, there was optimism that the White House and Moscow were on the same page, with President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff visiting Russia for talks with Putin.
However, it seems that the momentum has stalled. The next round of bilateral talks aimed at restoring diplomatic operations was cancelled in June, and Trump’s frustration over Ukraine has only grown. “The Kremlin believes that Trump offers Russia too little,” wrote Moskovsky Komsomolets today, “and, therefore, the continuation of a ‘good quarrel’ is better than a ‘bad peace’ from the point of view of Russia’s long-term national interests.”
**What’s Next?**
Much will depend on what President Trump does next. Will he strengthen sanctions against Russia or increase US military assistance to Ukraine? The Kremlin seems to believe that Putin has the upper hand, and Moscow is waiting for a better deal.
As one commentator noted, “Follow closely.” Not only what Donald Trump says on Russia and Ukraine, but also the action he takes. This is a sea-change from just last week, when Russian commentators were celebrating the US government’s decision to freeze some military assistance to Ukraine.
In short, the tides of US-Russia relations are shifting, and it’s unclear which way they will go next.
