Russia

President Putin has accused Barack Obama of attempting to destroy diplomatic relations between Russia and the U.S. by imposing a set of illegal sanctions against Russia.  In response to Obama’s anti-Russian executive order that saw Russian diplomats expelled from the country, Putin responded by saying he would not be sinking as low as outgoing President, preferring instead to wait for Trump to reverse the decision. Konstantin Kosachev, head of the International Committee of the Russian Upper House of Parliament, said Obama’s actions reeked of political desperation.

Donald Trump’s senior aide Kellyanne Conway has denounced Barack Obama’s decision to impose harsh economic sanctions against Russia. Conway described the sanctions as “unprecedented” and that they may have been aimed at restricting Trump’s policy toward Russia, saying that Obama was trying to “box-in” his successor by issuing the sanctions with just weeks before leaving his presidency.

What Is The Obama Regime Up To?

Paul Craig Roberts

Obama has announced new sanctions on Russia based on unsubstantiated charges by the CIA that the Russian government influenced the outcome of the US presidential election with “malicious cyber-enabled activities.”

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a report “related to the declaration of 35 Russian officials persona non grata for malicious cyber activity and harassment.”

In the latest snub to the Obama administration, a nationwide Syrian cease-fire brokered by Russia and Turkey - one which explicitly avoided US participation - went into effect at midnight and was holding steady on Friday despite minor violations, marking what Bloomberg said is "a potential breakthrough in a conflict that has been shredding high-level peace initiatives for over five years."

And all it took was the absence of the US to bring hope of peace back to Syria.

Vladimir the merciful?

Following this morning's reports that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would recommend to Russian President Vladimir Putin a retaliation in kind, and expel 35 American diplomats, saying that “we cannot leave such acts unanswered. Reciprocity is part of diplomatic law"  with Putin spokesman Peskov adding that "there is no doubt that Russia's adequate and mirror response will make Washington officials feel very uncomfortable as well", it was ultimately up to Putin to decide how to respond to the US.