US-Russian Relations Restoration

It seems a step has been taken in the direction of restoring U.S.-Russian relations, which are said to be the worst since after the Cold War. It was the first meeting between the two leaders, Trump and Putin. However, in order to drastically improve relations, it is crucial for the “Russiagate” suspicions be clarified.

It is certain that the meeting resulted in both leaders agreeing on a cease-fire in southwest Syria. As the Syrian civil war enters its seventh year, more than 400,000 people have died. About two-thirds of the population, around 12 million, have either fled the country as refugees or have been driven from their homes inside the country.

The United States and Russia should cooperate in order to end the worst humanitarian crisis. First of all, I would like to see influence being brought to bear over the parties involved, Assad’s administration and the rebel powers, in order to make them comply with a cease-fire.

American authorities have concluded that, in order to give Trump an advantage, Russia intervened in the United States presidential election last year by launching a cyberattack on campaign accounts. Suspicion has also been raised over whether or not those in Trump’s camp also colluded in the “Russiagate” scandal.

This problem was also raised during the discussion between Putin and Trump, and according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the discussion between the two leaders was difficult and drawn out. Also, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, told the press that Trump accepted Putin’s denial of the allegations,which Trump also continued to deny. In addition, the day before the discussion, Trump ambiguously remarked that no one really knows the truth. Looking at his behavior, we find Trump’s strenuous protest suddenly difficult to believe.

The United States and Europe are very concerned about Russian intervention in elections, because such intervention damages the basis of the democratic system and cannot be ignored. In May, French President Emmanuel Macron ignored the fact that Putin was sitting next to him at a joint conference and criticized Russian state media for spreading falsehoods and propaganda during the French presidential election.

The Russians highly value the fact that, this time, the summit was a breakthrough in improving relations. Unlike previous presidents, Trump conveniently tries to make deals concerning humanitarian problems without nagging.

Russia expects the economic sanctions, which the U.S. and Europe imposed on their country after it annexed Crimea, will be lifted, and that their annexation of Crimea will finally be recognized, bringing an end to the problem with Ukraine.

The international community also hopes that the United States and Russia can join hands, despite their different positions. However, the “Russiagate” scandal has become a burden on U.S.-Russian cooperation. Investigating authorities are also looking into allegations that Trump obstructed justice. I would like to request that Trump seriously strive to clarify what the situation really is.