A Honeymoon that Never Was: The Chilly State of US-Russia Relations

According to a recent Council survey, 46 percent of Russians and 62 percent of Americans thought the US leadership change would herald an era of warmth, camaraderie, and collaboration. Though the new administration is now well-into its second year, the relationship has barely shifted towards lukewarm. Both countries’ national security documents continue listing the other as an enemy, and government officials on each side diagnose the state of affairs an “all-time low” since the Cold War. With renewed sanctions and collusion-related indictments dominating the news cycle, what lies in store for the future of the Trump-Putin relationship? While wrought in opposition and disagreement, what can history teach us about the necessity of cooperation and mutual understanding between the two nations? SPEAKERS: Ivo H. Daalder, President, Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Alina Polyakova, David M. Rubenstein Fellow—Foreign Policy Program, Center on the United States and Europe, Brookings Institution; Strobe Talbott, Distinguished Visitor, Buffett Institute for Global Studies; Distinguished Fellow in Residence, Brookings Institution. Moderated by Jordan Gans-Morse.