October 13, 2020
No, Trump has not been ‘tough’ on Russia
Last month, the Treasury Department announced new sanctions against four Kremlin-linked figures for their efforts to interfere in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. The measures were met with acclaim as a long-awaited response to Russia’s interventions in American democracy.
The simple fact is that even harsh-looking sanctions have little impact when there’s zero political will to enforce them.
In reality, though, these measures are little more than a pinprick — the latest episode in a long history of efforts by the Trump administration to appear tough on Russia while actually signaling to the Kremlin that U.S. elections remain open to interference. The simple fact is that even harsh-looking sanctions have little impact when there’s zero political will to enforce them.
Read the full article in The Washington Post.
More from CNAS
-
Trump Should Walk from Putin Negotiations
Video
Trump will walk from the Ukraine-Russia negotiations as his lack of “patience” means its “just a matter of time”, says Jim Townsend, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a ...
By Jim Townsend
-
Putin’s Pressure Point
Commentary
Trump’s handling of Russia diverges sharply from his approach to every other country....
By Edward Fishman
-
Ukraine Strikes Military and Psychological Blow to Russia
Podcast
Ukraine attacked targets deep inside Russia yesterday, in what Kyiv called “Operation Spiderweb.” The Security Service of Ukraine claimed responsibility for the attack using d...
By Samuel Bendett
-
Ex-NATO Official: Putin Is ‘Stringing Along Trump’ to Push for Sanctions Relief
Video
Jim Townsend, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, weighs in on peace talks after the Putin-Zelenskyy-Trump call and whether the U.S. is failing...
By Jim Townsend
