“America wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia. This belief is rooted in our respect for the Russian people, and a shared history between our nations that goes beyond competition,” said President Barack Obama in response to the statement.
However, it quickly became apparent that a “fresh start” was not going to happen. Relations remained bitter between the divided nations, spurred on by factors such as traditional mistrust and fear, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s re-election in 2012, causing an increasing drift away from democracy by Russia. Following the removal of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, in February of 2014, and the subsequent Russian annexation of Crimea, unrest spread into eastern Ukraine and relations only worsened.
This year, relations seem to have become even more strained, leaving many wondering if Russia poses a threat, and public sentiment echoing that of the historical “red scare.”
Recently, the Russian government was accused by US security officials of leading massive cyber-attacks aimed at influencing the 2016 US presidential election. These allegations were dismissed by Putin, who concluded that the idea that Russia favored Donald Trump was a myth created by the Hillary Clinton campaign.
President-elect Donald Trump came under attack frequently for his perceived connections to Russia and in particular, Putin.
President Barack Obama’s administration was accused by the Kremlin of attempting to damage Russia’s relationship with US to a degree that would render normalization impossible for the incoming Trump administration.
