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| | Within hours after the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], Vladimir Putin was the first foreign leader to call President [[George W. Bush]] and offer sympathy and support for what became the first invocation of NATO Article V, "an attack against one is an attack against all."<ref>https://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/09/10/ar911.russia.putin/index.html</ref> | | Within hours after the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], Vladimir Putin was the first foreign leader to call President [[George W. Bush]] and offer sympathy and support for what became the first invocation of NATO Article V, "an attack against one is an attack against all."<ref>https://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/09/10/ar911.russia.putin/index.html</ref> |
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| − | =====Relations under George W. Bush=====
| + | ===Relations under George W. Bush=== |
| | Initially relations between [[George W. Bush]] and Putin were good, with Putin lending passive support to Bush's war on global terror. Putin was restrained from giving much assistance outside the Russian Federation, being pre-occupied with the [[Islamist]] movements waging [[jihad]] inside his own borders. | | Initially relations between [[George W. Bush]] and Putin were good, with Putin lending passive support to Bush's war on global terror. Putin was restrained from giving much assistance outside the Russian Federation, being pre-occupied with the [[Islamist]] movements waging [[jihad]] inside his own borders. |
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| | In Bush's late second term, Putin was concerned about jihadist infiltration from [[Turkey]] and [[Syria]] through the [[Republic of Georgia]], and intervened. Former members of the [[Warsaw Pact]], who were more supportive of the war on terror than even the US population, then asked for deployment of missile defense systems on their territories, which the [[Bush administration]] was inclined to favor as a reward for their help. Russia considered missile defense deployment on their borders overt acts of hostility. Barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, in competition to outdo each other, condemned George W. Bush and [[Condoleezza Rice]] by sidling up to the Russians and Islamists whom the [[Democrat]]s portrayed as oppressed victims of a [[globalism|global]] [[neocon]] [[conspiracy]]. | | In Bush's late second term, Putin was concerned about jihadist infiltration from [[Turkey]] and [[Syria]] through the [[Republic of Georgia]], and intervened. Former members of the [[Warsaw Pact]], who were more supportive of the war on terror than even the US population, then asked for deployment of missile defense systems on their territories, which the [[Bush administration]] was inclined to favor as a reward for their help. Russia considered missile defense deployment on their borders overt acts of hostility. Barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, in competition to outdo each other, condemned George W. Bush and [[Condoleezza Rice]] by sidling up to the Russians and Islamists whom the [[Democrat]]s portrayed as oppressed victims of a [[globalism|global]] [[neocon]] [[conspiracy]]. |
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| − | ===== Relations under Barack Obama =====
| + | ===Relations under Barack Obama=== |
| | [[File:Targeted sanctions.jpg|right|400px|thumb|''Targetted Sanctions'', from a Moscow art exhibition.]] | | [[File:Targeted sanctions.jpg|right|400px|thumb|''Targetted Sanctions'', from a Moscow art exhibition.]] |
| | President [[Barack Obama]] and Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] initially cozied up to Putin, charging the Bush administration was intent on reigniting the [[Cold War]]. However once the [[Rosatom-Uranium One deal]] was completed and the [[Clinton Foundation]] pocketed millions of dollars from Putin cronies in donations and speaking fees, relations began to sour as the Obama administration could no longer ignore geopolitical realities. Putin had protested the Obama administrations illegal drone strikes, and the administration placed [[Magnitsky Act|sanctions on Russian leaders]] ostensibly in retaliation for the Crimean referendum.<ref>https://youtu.be/I-9aD45qxbE</ref> | | President [[Barack Obama]] and Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] initially cozied up to Putin, charging the Bush administration was intent on reigniting the [[Cold War]]. However once the [[Rosatom-Uranium One deal]] was completed and the [[Clinton Foundation]] pocketed millions of dollars from Putin cronies in donations and speaking fees, relations began to sour as the Obama administration could no longer ignore geopolitical realities. Putin had protested the Obama administrations illegal drone strikes, and the administration placed [[Magnitsky Act|sanctions on Russian leaders]] ostensibly in retaliation for the Crimean referendum.<ref>https://youtu.be/I-9aD45qxbE</ref> |
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| | Despite these negatives – or perhaps because of the strong hand they reveal – Putin remains popular in Russia.<ref>http://www.levada.ru/prezident.html Putin's Approval Ratings</ref> Since coming to power, Putin has expanded Russia's economy and reduced inflation. The majority of Russians are relatively uninterested in politics outside of issues affecting their personal prosperity,<ref>''The Economist'', April 21, 2007</ref> and journalist [[Anna Politkovskaya]] argued that the Russian people, as a whole, have been willing to tolerate violence in the name of "comfort and peace and quiet".<ref>Politkovskaya, Anna. Putin's Russia. London: Harvill Press, 2004</ref> | | Despite these negatives – or perhaps because of the strong hand they reveal – Putin remains popular in Russia.<ref>http://www.levada.ru/prezident.html Putin's Approval Ratings</ref> Since coming to power, Putin has expanded Russia's economy and reduced inflation. The majority of Russians are relatively uninterested in politics outside of issues affecting their personal prosperity,<ref>''The Economist'', April 21, 2007</ref> and journalist [[Anna Politkovskaya]] argued that the Russian people, as a whole, have been willing to tolerate violence in the name of "comfort and peace and quiet".<ref>Politkovskaya, Anna. Putin's Russia. London: Harvill Press, 2004</ref> |
| − | ===== Relations under Donald Trump =====
| + | |
| | + | ===Relations under Donald Trump=== |
| | President [[Donald Trump]] accused Putin of taking [[Crimea]] by force and asked whether Obama was too soft on Russia.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-russia-latest-tweet-accuse-crimea-obama-too-soft-distance-campaign-team-white-house-a7581511.html Donald Trump accuses Russia of taking Crimea by force in attempt to distance himself from campaign allegations]</ref> In March 2017 the US department of state strongly condemned the arrests of hundreds of protesters against Vladimir Putin's government.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/26/hundreds-arrested-mass-protests-against-vladimir-putins-government/ Washington condemns arrests of hundreds of protesters against Vladimir Putin's government]</ref> The US Secretary of State [[Rex Tillerson]] said that US sanctions against Russia will remain in place until Moscow "reverses the actions" it has taken in Ukraine.<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/31/politics/rex-tillerson-russia-ukraine/ Tillerson: US to maintain Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia until Crimea is returned]</ref> | | President [[Donald Trump]] accused Putin of taking [[Crimea]] by force and asked whether Obama was too soft on Russia.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-russia-latest-tweet-accuse-crimea-obama-too-soft-distance-campaign-team-white-house-a7581511.html Donald Trump accuses Russia of taking Crimea by force in attempt to distance himself from campaign allegations]</ref> In March 2017 the US department of state strongly condemned the arrests of hundreds of protesters against Vladimir Putin's government.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/26/hundreds-arrested-mass-protests-against-vladimir-putins-government/ Washington condemns arrests of hundreds of protesters against Vladimir Putin's government]</ref> The US Secretary of State [[Rex Tillerson]] said that US sanctions against Russia will remain in place until Moscow "reverses the actions" it has taken in Ukraine.<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/31/politics/rex-tillerson-russia-ukraine/ Tillerson: US to maintain Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia until Crimea is returned]</ref> |
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| | In March 2018, Russian Propaganda video was released showing how a new missile program could be used to attack America. In the video, the state of [[Florida]] was specifically targeted.<ref>[http://fortune.com/2018/03/01/putin-russia-nuclear-threat-florida-mar-a-lago/ Why Russia Would Specifically Choose to Threaten Florida With a Nuclear Blast]</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43248794 Why would Putin want to nuke Florida?]</ref> | | In March 2018, Russian Propaganda video was released showing how a new missile program could be used to attack America. In the video, the state of [[Florida]] was specifically targeted.<ref>[http://fortune.com/2018/03/01/putin-russia-nuclear-threat-florida-mar-a-lago/ Why Russia Would Specifically Choose to Threaten Florida With a Nuclear Blast]</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43248794 Why would Putin want to nuke Florida?]</ref> |
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| − | =====Relations with Joe Biden=====
| + | ===Relations with Joe Biden=== |
| | {{See also|Biden/Harris regime foreign policy}} | | {{See also|Biden/Harris regime foreign policy}} |
| | [[Joe Biden]] cozied up to Vladimir Putin when he rescinded the Trump-era opposition to the [[Nord Stream II]] pipeline.<ref>https://dennismichaellynch.com/daily-newsletter/</ref> The Russian project is designed to ship gas and oil directly from Russia to [[Germany]] under the [[Baltic Sea]]. Russia has attempted to pressure Ukraine numerous time since the break-up of the Soviet Union to abandon its bid to join [[NATO]] by cutting off oil and gas supplies. In doing so, Russia inadvertently also cuts off supplies to Germany, a very rich and large customer. The Nordtream pipeline is intended to counter this collateral effect, while pressuring Ukraine, [[Poland]] and [[Hungary]] to remain in the Russian orbit. The pipeline itself is a massive scandal in Germany, with for [[Democratic Socialist]] [[Gerhard Schroeder]] chancellor heading the Nordstram pipeline company and a major stockholders.<ref>https://www.politico.eu/article/opinion-schroders-russian-sell-out/</ref> | | [[Joe Biden]] cozied up to Vladimir Putin when he rescinded the Trump-era opposition to the [[Nord Stream II]] pipeline.<ref>https://dennismichaellynch.com/daily-newsletter/</ref> The Russian project is designed to ship gas and oil directly from Russia to [[Germany]] under the [[Baltic Sea]]. Russia has attempted to pressure Ukraine numerous time since the break-up of the Soviet Union to abandon its bid to join [[NATO]] by cutting off oil and gas supplies. In doing so, Russia inadvertently also cuts off supplies to Germany, a very rich and large customer. The Nordtream pipeline is intended to counter this collateral effect, while pressuring Ukraine, [[Poland]] and [[Hungary]] to remain in the Russian orbit. The pipeline itself is a massive scandal in Germany, with for [[Democratic Socialist]] [[Gerhard Schroeder]] chancellor heading the Nordstram pipeline company and a major stockholders.<ref>https://www.politico.eu/article/opinion-schroders-russian-sell-out/</ref> |
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| | In 2014 Hunter Biden colluded with and received $3.5 million from Elena Baturina, the richest woman in Russia and widow of former Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov as payment to establish an American bank account for her.<ref>https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missionquestfpb/shock-man-who-had-hunter-biden-s-laptop-suggests-t-t10669-s2420.html</ref> In late 2019 Baturina was declarred a fugitive from Russian justice.<ref>https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-court-declares-late-moscow-mayor-s-widow-wanted-after-failure-to-appear/30348065.html</ref> | | In 2014 Hunter Biden colluded with and received $3.5 million from Elena Baturina, the richest woman in Russia and widow of former Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov as payment to establish an American bank account for her.<ref>https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missionquestfpb/shock-man-who-had-hunter-biden-s-laptop-suggests-t-t10669-s2420.html</ref> In late 2019 Baturina was declarred a fugitive from Russian justice.<ref>https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-court-declares-late-moscow-mayor-s-widow-wanted-after-failure-to-appear/30348065.html</ref> |
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| − | ====Relations with the EU====
| + | ===Relations with the EU=== |
| | In 2014 Putin founded the [[Eurasian Economic Union]] to counter [[European Union]] meddling in [[Eastern Europe]]an nation's affairs. | | In 2014 Putin founded the [[Eurasian Economic Union]] to counter [[European Union]] meddling in [[Eastern Europe]]an nation's affairs. |
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