Russia looks to ‘friendlier’ Trump

honolulu — Stung by new punishments, Russia is looking straight past President Barack Obama to Donald Trump in hopes the president-elect will reverse the tough US stance towards Moscow of the last eight years. In a stunning embrace of a longtime US adversary, Trump is siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Whether Trump steers the US towards or away from Russia upon taking office is shaping up as the first major test of his foreign policy disposition and his willingness to buck fellow Republicans, who for years have argued Obama wasn’t tough enough.

Now that Obama has finally sanctioned Russia over hacking allegations, Putin has essentially put relations on hold till Trump takes over.

“Great move on delay (by V. Putin),” Trump wrote Friday on Twitter. “I always knew he was very smart!”

He was referring to Putin’s announcement that Russia won’t immediately retaliate after Obama ordered sanctions on Russian spy agencies, closed two Russian compounds and expelled 35 diplomats the United States said were really spies.

Though Putin reserved the right to hit back later, he suggested that won’t be necessary with Trump in office. Brushing off Obama, Putin said Russia would plan steps to re- store US ties “based on the policies that will be carried out by the administration of President D. Trump.” Not only would Russia not kick Americans out, Putin said, he was inviting the kids of all US diplomats to the Kremlin’s New Year’s and Christmas parties.

“At this point, they’re trolling Obama,” said Olga Oliker, who directs the Russia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The Obama administration said it had seen Putin’s remarks but had nothing more to say.

Trump’s move to side with a foreign adversary over the sitting US president was a striking departure from typical diplomatic practice. —