The air strikes in Syria on the Shayrat Airbase did not only destroy military equipment, but also U.S. relations with Russia. U.S. President Donald Trump, who used to have Russian President Vladimir Putin as his BFF during the campaign period, is now close to being his enemy.
The relationship between Washington and Moscow, which used to be frozen during the cold war years, is once again chilly. Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, blames it on the U.S. Now, to worsen the situation, Peskov said that the potential deployment by the Pentagon of a Patriot missile for NATO exercises in the Baltic states is considered a non-peaceful approach in an already tense region.
Cold War atmosphere in the Baltics
Peskov, in response to a question by CBS in regard to whether or not the world was teetering toward another Cold War, said that some elements appear to point to a Cold War atmosphere. The atmosphere was triggered by the Pentagon's plan to move U.S. missiles into the Baltics, while Kaliningrad also has the Iskander missiles.
However, he pointed out a huge difference in that U.S. missiles are in the Baltics’ territory while Iskander missiles are on Russian soil. But, he refused to call the Pentagon’s planned move a provocation. He stressed that the planned deployment is neither a peaceful approach nor a constructive approach, with America bringing its military infrastructure near the Russian border.
Photos from closed-door meeting
Meanwhile, the White House said on Thursday that it was caught unawares when Russia published photos from a closed-door meeting. The photos, which Moscow tweeted, showed Trump shaking hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak -- suspected of being a Russian spy.
To get even, Trump tweeted a photo of himself standing beside Lavrov, and another photo with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, the New York Post reported. Russia’s invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014 led the U.S. to impose economic sanctions on Moscow. In March, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the sanctions would stay until Russia returns Crimea to the Ukraine.
No financial links to Russia
Also on Thursday, Trump denied having any financial links to Russia. The president said that the only deals he had was when he sold a house to a very rich Russian many years ago, and the holding the Miss Universe pageant in Russia -- a franchise that the billionaire used to own.
Trump insisted that he does not have loans or investments in or from Russia. He also ordered a private law firm to send a letter to Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Graham, chair of the subcommittee probing Russian interference, said he was curious to know more about the business ties Trump has with Russia.
