US-Russia Relations Reset Currently Impossible

Repeated attempts to ‘reset’ relations between the United States and Russia have failed.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to the article Why a U.S.–Russia Reset Remains Impossible Today.

These failures can be explained by Russia's imperial ideology and geopolitical realities. All initiatives by the Barack Obama and Donald Trump administrations to improve relations with Moscow have been unsuccessful.

The Obama administration's ‘reset’ in 2009 failed because Russia perceived it as recognition of its interests in the post-Soviet space, which led to conflicts in security perceptions. Despite some achievements, such as the START III treaty, Russia's aggressive foreign policy, including the annexation of Crimea, undermined these efforts.

Trump's attempts to restore relations also faced domestic political pressure and continued Russian aggression. His concessions and inconsistent actions further complicated the situation.

A new ‘reset’ is also unlikely due to deep mistrust, ideological differences, and China's growing influence over Russia. Russia's dependence on China for economic and technological support strengthens their alliance against what they perceive as ‘American hegemony.’

As The Gaze reported earlier, the United States has proposed to resume the work of the NATO-Russia Council as part of an effort to end the war in Ukraine.