US Congress Tries to Hamper Washington’s Possible Convergence With Moscow

The US Congress attempts to prevent President-elect Donald Trump from possible closer interaction with Moscow, trying to retain the policy of incumbent President Barack Obama instead, member of the Russian parliament's upper house Alexei Pushkov, said Thursday in the light of adoption of new anti-Russia legislation.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Earlier in the day, the US Congress adopted a draft law on establishing a special group for identifying Russia’s so-called "secret influence."

"I have a feeling that the US Congress attempts to retain the mythology of Barack Obama’s epoch contrary to the new tendencies of the US policy … It seems to me that they do it to influence Donald Trump and restrict his opportunities for rapprochement with Russia," Pushkov told RIA Novosti.

Trump has repeatedly noted during his public speeches and interviews that "it would be nice" to have a good relationship with Russia. In his victory speech, the president-elect pledged to prioritize US national interests, but he also promised to treat fairly all other nations. Trump reaffirmed his willingness to normalize US relations with Russia in the first ever phone with Putin on November 14.

Since 2014, relations between Russia and the United States deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Washington and their allies have introduced several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions since Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 and over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. Russia has repeatedly refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive and undermine global stability.