US-Russia Ties Set to Improve if Trump Scraps Regime Change Policy - Think Tank

As the Obama administration supported policy of regime change around the world, Russia perceived the United States as a threat, the think tank said to Sputnik. With Trump taking office, a chance to overcome systemic confrontations appears.

NEW YORK (Sputnik) — President-elect Donald Trump's proposed departure from the US policy of regime change promises a number of positive developments in US-Russia bilateral relations, National Research University of the Higher School of Economics Deputy Director Dmitry Suslov told Sputnik.

"The continuous support for regime change by the Obama administration was the major reason for Russia to perceive the United States as a threat," Suslov said on Thursday after a panel discussion on Russian foreign policy at Columbia University.

If the incoming Trump administration changes the policy of regime change, which seems it will be the case, "it will create a new chance to overcome systemic confrontations," Suslov stated, referring to Russia.

Suslov explained that emerging avenues of cooperation may include joint counterterrorism efforts in the Middle East; a resolution of the crisis in Ukraine as well as fostered compliance with the Minsk agreements.

The event on Thursday at Columbia University was devoted to presentation of a special issue of the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses journal "Strategic Analysis."

 

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