All Things Russia & Ukraine

[runrussellrun]

One thing is now very clear, US intelligence got this absolutely correct. Biden admin has got it correct, never doubting this invasion would happen. Looks like China got it wrong, they have been surprised apparently, thinking Putin was bluffing.

WaPo article.

Remarkable how the Russian propaganda line has been widely adopted here, and in the Right/GOP media. Not merely apologists for an unnecessary, unprovoked invasion of a sovereign nation, but full scale excoriation of their own government's careful, measured, devoted response. It's just an astonishing disgrace.

Beyond the computer stuff (sanctions, bank accounts, etc. ) what other response is going on?

[Essexfenwick]

Trump was ahead of the game.
He told Germany to start to contribute their share for NATO and Europe to get off Russian oil and gas 3 years ago.

The man is a genius .

Smarter that the progressive and the neocon swamp.

We need him back now.

I think Putin is probably too busy now for Trump to suck his dick.

Yes Putin was sucking Trumps dick

Now he’s f*cking Joes Butt.

[get it to x]

Trump was ahead of the game.
He told Germany to start to contribute their share for NATO and Europe to get off Russian oil and gas 3 years ago.

The man is a genius .

Smarter that the progressive and the neocon swamp.

We need him back now.

I think Putin is probably too busy now for Trump to suck his dick.

Yes Putin was sucking Trumps dick

Now he’s f*cking Joes Butt.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/arti ... risis.html

From someone who lived in Russia during a pivotal time. All of this could have been avoided if a hand was extended rather than pushing the expansion of NATO to "contain" Russia. Too much invested in the "war machine" to accept a real peace dividend. I was around when we had air raid drills in elementary school, of which mine had a fallout shelter. I didn't comprehend until later what that meant, but it has informed my thinking on armed conflict ever since.

[Essexfenwick]

Trump was ahead of the game.
He told Germany to start to contribute their share for NATO and Europe to get off Russian oil and gas 3 years ago.

The man is a genius .

Smarter that the progressive and the neocon swamp.

We need him back now.

I think Putin is probably too busy now for Trump to suck his dick.

Yes Putin was sucking Trumps dick

Now he’s f*cking Joes Butt.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/arti ... risis.html

From someone who lived in Russia during a pivotal time. All of this could have been avoided if a hand was extended rather than pushing the expansion of NATO to "contain" Russia. Too much invested in the "war machine" to accept a real peace dividend. I was around when we had air raid drills in elementary school, of which mine had a fallout shelter. I didn't comprehend until later what that meant, but it has informed my thinking on armed conflict ever since.

Yes I agree. Russia was an ally of convenience in WW2 and took the greatest hit. Trump was on the right path getting the warmongers out of the game and drawing Russia to the better side. Now our leader with advanced dementia has pushed them straight to China which is the worst possible outcome and strategically stupid.

[Peter Brown]

Trump was ahead of the game.
He told Germany to start to contribute their share for NATO and Europe to get off Russian oil and gas 3 years ago.

The man is a genius .

Smarter that the progressive and the neocon swamp.

We need him back now.

I think Putin is probably too busy now for Trump to suck his dick.

Yes Putin was sucking Trumps dick

Now he’s f*cking Joes Butt.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/arti ... risis.html

From someone who lived in Russia during a pivotal time. All of this could have been avoided if a hand was extended rather than pushing the expansion of NATO to "contain" Russia. Too much invested in the "war machine" to accept a real peace dividend. I was around when we had air raid drills in elementary school, of which mine had a fallout shelter. I didn't comprehend until later what that meant, but it has informed my thinking on armed conflict ever since.

Good article from a very perceptive man

[Brooklyn]

AP-NORC poll: Most in US oppose major role in Russia strife


https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukrai ... 74fc622a1b


There’s little support among Americans for a major U.S. role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to a new poll, even as President Joe Biden imposes new sanctions and threatens a stronger response that could provoke retaliation from Moscow.



As far as I'm concerned Biden is doing far more than he should. Let's fix the problems at home. Then we can start to worry about the nonsense that goes on overseas.

[get it to x]

AP-NORC poll: Most in US oppose major role in Russia strife


https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukrai ... 74fc622a1b


There’s little support among Americans for a major U.S. role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to a new poll, even as President Joe Biden imposes new sanctions and threatens a stronger response that could provoke retaliation from Moscow.



As far as I'm concerned Biden is doing far more than he should. Let's fix the problems at home. Then we can start to worry about the nonsense that goes on overseas.

Happy to see we agree on something. Not looking to be an isolationist, just would rather make friends than enemies.

[jhu72]

Trump was ahead of the game.
He told Germany to start to contribute their share for NATO and Europe to get off Russian oil and gas 3 years ago.

The man is a genius .

Smarter that the progressive and the neocon swamp.

We need him back now.

I think Putin is probably too busy now for Trump to suck his dick.

Yes Putin was sucking Trumps dick

Now he’s f*cking Joes Butt.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/arti ... risis.html

From someone who lived in Russia during a pivotal time. All of this could have been avoided if a hand was extended rather than pushing the expansion of NATO to "contain" Russia. Too much invested in the "war machine" to accept a real peace dividend. I was around when we had air raid drills in elementary school, of which mine had a fallout shelter. I didn't comprehend until later what that meant, but it has informed my thinking on armed conflict ever since.

... Peter Hitchens is out of his mind. Don't think it was so much a case of pushing NATO, as NATO being a club the locals wanted to join.

[tech37]

Now we know Putin wasn't bluffing. Biden and his people need to tread very very lightly... do not escalate this mess.

[jhu72]

They are going to sanction Putin and Russia. The next move is Putin's and the Russian people.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Anyone put 2 and 2 together yet?

[get it to x]

They are going to sanction Putin and Russia. The next move is Putin's and the Russian people.

Warmongering at it's finest. Too bad a steady hand like Pompeo isn't running State.

[Typical Lax Dad]

They are going to sanction Putin and Russia. The next move is Putin's and the Russian people.

Warmongering at it's finest. Too bad a steady hand like Pompeo isn't running State.

2+2= https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/07/31/ho ... epartment/

[MDlaxfan76]

They are going to sanction Putin and Russia. The next move is Putin's and the Russian people.

Warmongering at it's finest. Too bad a steady hand like Pompeo isn't running State.

yup, the war would have never been necessary if Zelensky had just buckled and made up dirt on Hunter in exchange for weapons and Trump had won, not delivered on the weapons, and the Zelensky government had fallen.

No war needed, proxy state in place.

It's really, really strange to have Americans supporting a former KGB officer who murders his political opponents and free press journalists when he annexes a recognized sovereign country on his border.

Just because..."boo Biden"...

[get it to x]

Trump was ahead of the game.
He told Germany to start to contribute their share for NATO and Europe to get off Russian oil and gas 3 years ago.

The man is a genius .

Smarter that the progressive and the neocon swamp.

We need him back now.

I think Putin is probably too busy now for Trump to suck his dick.

Yes Putin was sucking Trumps dick

Now he’s f*cking Joes Butt.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/arti ... risis.html

From someone who lived in Russia during a pivotal time. All of this could have been avoided if a hand was extended rather than pushing the expansion of NATO to "contain" Russia. Too much invested in the "war machine" to accept a real peace dividend. I was around when we had air raid drills in elementary school, of which mine had a fallout shelter. I didn't comprehend until later what that meant, but it has informed my thinking on armed conflict ever since.

... Peter Hitchens is out of his mind. Don't think it was so much a case of pushing NATO, as NATO being a club the locals wanted to join.

The US was NATO. They held enough influence at the time to not make it a club. They could have made it a relic of a bygone day, which it looks like occurred naturally through corruption and neglect. We should not be Germany's standing army. The UN is basically the same thing. It has outlived its usefulness.

[Essexfenwick]

They are going to sanction Putin and Russia. The next move is Putin's and the Russian people.

Warmongering at it's finest. Too bad a steady hand like Pompeo isn't running State.

yup, the war would have never been necessary if Zelensky had just buckled and made up dirt on Hunter in exchange for weapons and Trump had won, not delivered on the weapons, and the Zelensky government had fallen.

No war needed, proxy state in place.

It's really, really strange to have Americans supporting a former KGB officer who murders his political opponents and free press journalists when he annexes a recognized sovereign country on his border.

Just because..."boo Biden"...

Sleepy Joe wake up yet?

[Brooklyn]

AP-NORC poll: Most in US oppose major role in Russia strife


https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukrai ... 74fc622a1b


There’s little support among Americans for a major U.S. role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to a new poll, even as President Joe Biden imposes new sanctions and threatens a stronger response that could provoke retaliation from Moscow.



As far as I'm concerned Biden is doing far more than he should. Let's fix the problems at home. Then we can start to worry about the nonsense that goes on overseas.

Happy to see we agree on something. Not looking to be an isolationist, just would rather make friends than enemies.

For sure.

Now let us hope neither the CIA nor any other group that is interested in war suddenly contrives some scheme or false flag that results in American deaths or sabotage so that people become persuaded that another war becomes a good thing.

[ardilla secreta]

Resolve?

While the world decides what to do next UEFA is in meeting on what to do about St Petersburg hosting the Champions League final - the worlds Super Bowl. Also on what to do about Gasprom being one of its major sponsors. Perhaps they’ll even decide what to do about the two Russian teams playing in the UEFA Europa League payoffs. Zenit (St Petersburg) is playing at Betis (Sevilla) today and Spartak (Moscow) have a bye to the next round. Will any of these Russian interest face any scrutiny? There’s a lot of money involved and we know where the priorities are. Should be a slam dunk decision. Will there be resolve?

[MDlaxfan76]

They are going to sanction Putin and Russia. The next move is Putin's and the Russian people.

Warmongering at it's finest. Too bad a steady hand like Pompeo isn't running State.

yup, the war would have never been necessary if Zelensky had just buckled and made up dirt on Hunter in exchange for weapons and Trump had won, not delivered on the weapons, and the Zelensky government had fallen.

No war needed, proxy state in place.

It's really, really strange to have Americans supporting a former KGB officer who murders his political opponents and free press journalists when he annexes a recognized sovereign country on his border.

Just because..."boo Biden"...

Sleepy Joe wake up yet?

Typical trolling.

Petraeus just said that the phrase 'politics should end at the water's edge' has never been more applicable.

It's just gross.

[Brooklyn]

They are going to sanction Putin and Russia. The next move is Putin's and the Russian people.

Warmongering at it's finest. Too bad a steady hand like Pompeo isn't running State.

yup, the war would have never been necessary if Zelensky had just buckled and made up dirt on Hunter in exchange for weapons and Trump had won, not delivered on the weapons, and the Zelensky government had fallen.

No war needed, proxy state in place.

It's really, really strange to have Americans supporting a former KGB officer who murders his political opponents and free press journalists when he annexes a recognized sovereign country on his border.

Just because..."boo Biden"...

Nobody has sided more with Putin than has Republican Trump - since the right wingers worship him so much, they should be thrilled that we the patriotic majority say NO MORE WAR.

37 times Trump was soft on Russia

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/17/politics ... index.html


Editor’s Note: This story originally published on November 17, 2019. It has been updated to include 12 new instances in which President Trump has gone easy on Russia.

CNN —
President Donald Trump has an Achilles’ heel when it comes to Russia.

Over the years, he’s made no secret that he has a soft spot for the country and its authoritarian leader, President Vladimir Putin. Trump has proved that he is willing to reject widely held US foreign policy views and align himself with the Kremlin on everything from Russian interference in US elections to the war in Syria.

Most recently, Trump has denied the veracity of US intelligence reports accusing Russia of paying bounties to Taliban fighters to kill US troops in Afghanistan. Pressed on the topic during an interview with Axios that was released on Wednesday, Trump said he did not raise the issue during a recent phone call with Putin, and continued to suggest that the reports are “fake news.”

During the 2016 campaign, Trump’s ties to Russians were so concerning that the FBI believed there was good reason to investigate potential collusion between his 2016 campaign and the Kremlin. Counterintelligence investigators also examined whether Trump himself was somehow a Russian asset. (Special counsel Robert Mueller did not establish a criminal conspiracy of collusion.)

In Trump’s eyes, these allegations are proof of a conspiracy against him by Democratic lawmakers and other “deep state” enemies within the US government. He has bombastically declared, “There’s never been a president as tough on Russia as I have been” – a dubious claim that he repeated during the Russian bounties scandal.

But Trump’s narrative is simply false, based on his own actions over the last few years. Here’s a breakdown of 37 occasions when Trump was soft on Russia or gave Putin a boost.


Trump has repeatedly praised Putin
While he was a private citizen, during his 2016 campaign and throughout his presidency, Trump has showered Putin with praise. He said Putin was “so nice,” he called Putin a “strong leader” and said Putin has done “a really great job outsmarting our country.” Trump also claimed he’d “get along very well” with Putin. Few, if any, Western leaders have echoed these comments.

Trump hired Manafort to run his campaign
Trump raised eyebrows in spring 2016 when he hired GOP operative Paul Manafort to run his presidential campaign. Manafort spent a decade working for pro-Russian politicians and parties in Ukraine and cultivated close relationships with Putin-friendly oligarchs. Manafort was sentenced in 2019 to 7.5 years prison for, among other things, evading taxes on the $60 million he had made in Ukraine. (He was released to house arrest in May 2020 amid coronavirus concerns.)

Trump suggested Russia can keep Crimea
Trump said Putin did “an amazing job of taking the mantle” when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump broke with US policy and suggested he was OK if Russia kept the Ukrainian territory. He repeated a Kremlin talking point, saying, “The people of Crimea, from what I’ve heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were.”

Trump aides softened GOP platform on Ukraine
Ahead of the 2016 Republican National Convention, Trump campaign aides blocked language from the party platform that called for the US government to send lethal weapons to Ukraine for its war against Russian proxies. Mueller investigated this for potential collusion but determined the change was not made “at the behest” of Russia. (The Trump administration ultimately gave lethal arms and anti-tank weapons to the Ukrainian military.)

Trump made light of Russian hacking
Throughout the 2016 campaign, Trump cast doubt on the US government assessment that Russia hacked the Democratic National Committee and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman. At a news conference in July 2016, he even asked Russia to hack more, saying, “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’re able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,”

Trump capitalized on Russian meddling to win
Instead of condemning Russia for hacking and leaking Democratic emails, Trump eagerly capitalized on the Kremlin’s meddling, and used the emails to attack Clinton on a near-daily basis in the final stretch of the campaign. The Mueller report said Trump’s campaign “expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts” and that top officials believed they had inside information about WikiLeaks, so they planned a strategy around the expected release of hacked emails.

Trump denied that Russia interfered in 2016
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, the CIA, the National Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and the Senate Intelligence Committee all confirmed that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump. But Trump has repeatedly rejected this view, and publicly sided with Putin at the Helsinki summit in 2018, saying he accepted Putin’s denials.

Trump transition undermined Russian sanctions
After the 2016 election, the Trump transition team asked Russia not to retaliate too strongly against new US sanctions imposed by then-President Barack Obama. The sanctions were intended to punish Russia for interfering in the election, but then-Trump aide Michael Flynn asked the Russian ambassador not to escalate the situation so they could have a good relationship once Trump took over.

Trump was open to lifting Russian sanctions
Days before his inauguration, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that he was open to lifting sanctions on Russia. He said: “If you get along and if Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebody’s doing some really great things?” Putin has tried for years to persuade the US and European countries to end crippling sanctions on Russia’s economy.

Trump refused to say Putin is a killer
Bucking other US leaders, Trump has dismissed credible allegations that Putin uses violence against his opponents. Trump said in 2015, “I think it would be despicable if that took place, but I haven’t seen any evidence that he killed anybody, in terms of reporters.” Asked again in February 2017, Trump deflected, saying, “There are a lot of killers. Do you think our country is so innocent?”

Trump mulled returning spy bases to Russia
The Washington Post reported in May 2017 that the Trump administration considered returning two diplomatic compounds to Russia. The Obama administration expelled Russian diplomats and seized the compounds in New York and Maryland after the 2016 election, claiming they were used for “intelligence” purposes. The compounds were never returned to Russia.


Trump gave Russia classified intelligence
In a shocking move during the early months of his presidency, Trump shared highly classified intelligence with two senior Russian officials during an Oval Office meeting in May 2017. The intelligence, which was about ISIS, was sensitive enough that it could have exposed a vulnerable source. The unplanned disclosure by Trump rattled even many of his Republican allies.

Trump criticized and alienated NATO allies
Trump has repeatedly attacked NATO, aligning himself with Putin, who wants to weaken the alliance. Trump said NATO was “obsolete,” rattling European leaders. At his first NATO summit in May 2017, Trump scolded other countries for not spending enough on defense and declined to commit to NATO’s mutual defense pledge. (Trump later said he supported the mutual defense provision.) He has also said he wanted to withdraw from NATO, according to The New York Times, though it hasn’t happened.

Trump was reluctant to sign Russian sanctions
Lawmakers passed a bipartisan bill in July 2017 imposing new sanctions against Russia, even though Trump administration officials reportedly tried to water down the language. Trump reluctantly signed the bill, but claimed the new law contained “clearly unconstitutional provisions.” Trump had little choice in the matter because the bill had passed with veto-proof majorities: 419-3 in the House and 98-2 in the Senate. (The Treasury Department followed up with several rounds of hard-hitting sanctions.)

Trump proposed a cyber unit with Russia
After the July 2017 meeting of G20 leaders, Trump said he had spoken with Putin about “forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit” to combat “election hacking.” Trump quickly backtracked after lawmakers from both parties said it would be ridiculous to work with Russia on cybersecurity because Russia was responsible for egregious hacks against American targets, including during the 2016 election.

Trump thanked Putin for expelling US diplomats
Trump thanked Putin for expelling hundreds of US diplomats from Russia in August 2017, saying, “I want to thank him because we’re trying to cut down our payroll.” Putin kicked out the officials to retaliate against US sanctions. Trump’s comments conflicted with the State Department, which said the mass expulsion was “uncalled for.” (Trump later said he was being sarcastic.)

Trump eased sanctions on Deripaska
The Treasury Department in 2018 sanctioned Russian oligarch and Putin ally Oleg Deripaska, along with three companies linked to him, over his support for Russian interference in the 2016 election. But by January 2019, the Trump administration lifted some of these sanctions. In a bipartisan rebuke, 11 Senate Republicans supported a Democratic resolution calling for the sanctions to remain.

Trump congratulated Putin on his sham election
Ignoring the advice of several top national security aides, Trump congratulated Putin on his March 2018 reelection victory. Putin got 77% of the vote, but Western observers declared that the election “lacked genuine competition” and took place in an “overly controlled legal and political environment.” Trump’s critics said he had given the election legitimacy it did not deserve.

Trump balked at sanctions for Skripal poisoning
Trump privately complained about US sanctions intended to punish Russia after one of its ex-spies was poisoned in the United Kingdom, according to Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton. The US and UK blamed Russia for trying to assassinate the defector, Sergei Skripal. After the sanctions were announced in August 2018, Trump tried to rescind them and said the US was “being too tough on Putin,” according to Bolton’s memoir.

Trump nixed US statement about Russian war
In summer 2018, Trump blocked his administration from releasing a statement on the 10th anniversary of the Russia-Georgia war, according to Bolton’s memoir. Bolton said European leaders noticed Trump’s silence and “became even more concerned about American resolve.” Russia invaded its neighbor Georgia during the five-day war in 2008, and still occupies two breakaway territories.


Trump praised pro-Russian leaders in Europe
On several occasions, Trump has praised controversial far-right European leaders who have been shunned by most US officials because of their close ties to Putin. Trump met at the White House with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a top Kremlin ally. He praised the campaign of French politician Marine Le Pen, whose party previously got millions from a Russian bank.

Trump didn’t publicly condemn Russian attack
According to congressional testimony, Trump declined to publicly condemn a Russian attack against Ukrainian military vessels in November 2018, even though the State Department prepared a statement for him. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized Russia’s “dangerous escalation.” The White House didn’t say anything, but Trump canceled a meeting with Putin.

Trump defended Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
During a January 2019 Cabinet meeting, Trump defended the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. He said the Soviet Union “was right” to invade in 1979 because “terrorists were going into Russia.” The comments puzzled many observers, who noted that the Soviets had invaded to bolster a communist government and the US had backed Afghan militants who fought the Soviets.

Trump asked allies to let Russia back in the G7
Breaking with American allies, Trump repeatedly called for Russia to be invited back into the Group of Seven. Russia was suspended from the working group of leading industrial nations in 2014 after Putin annexed Crimea. At the August 2019 G7 summit in France, Trump pressed the other leaders to include Russia at the 2020 gathering. They balked at the request, which would have handed a huge victory to Putin without any concessions.

Trump’s Syria withdrawal gave Putin a boost
Trump announced in October 2019 that US troops were withdrawing from northern Syria. The abrupt move cleared the way for Turkey to conquer territories previously controlled by the US and allied Kurdish militias. It also gave Russia a golden opportunity to expand its influence and swiftly take over abandoned US outposts and checkpoints. Trump’s move was a boon for Putin.

Trump repeated Kremlin talking points on ISIS
After announcing the Syria withdrawal, Trump repeated Kremlin talking points about ISIS. He said, “Russia hates ISIS as much as the United States does” and that they are equal partners in the fight. But Trump’s comments don’t reflect the reality on the ground: Since intervening in Syria in 2015, the Russian military has focused its airstrikes on anti-government rebels, not ISIS.

President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin attend a joint press conference after a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018.

Full credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin attend a joint press conference after a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018. Full credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
AFP/Getty Images/AFP/Getty Images/AFP/Getty Images
Trump spread Russian myths about Ukraine
During his impeachment proceedings in 2019 and early 2020, Trump said many false things about Ukraine that align with Russian disinformation about the country. This includes claims of uncontrollable corruption, improper ties between Ukrainian officials and the Obama administration, and allegations that Ukraine meddled in US elections. This helps Putin’s goal of destabilizing US-Ukraine relations.

Trump temporarily froze US aid for Ukraine
As the impeachment inquiry revealed, Trump personally froze $391 million in US military and security assistance for Ukraine in mid-2019. US diplomats said Ukraine desperately needed the help for its war against Russian proxies. Previously, the Trump administration had slow-walked sales of anti-tank missiles to Ukraine because of concerns it would upset Russia, according to a State Department official.

Trump smeared US ambassador to Ukraine
For more than a year, Trump privately and publicly attacked Marie Yovanovitch, who was the US ambassador to Ukraine until he recalled her in spring 2019. One of Russia’s goals is to weaken the US-Ukraine alliance – Trump played into that by smearing Yovanovitch and undermining her diplomatic work in Ukraine. Her ouster was a major part of Trump’s impeachment.

Trump considered visiting Putin on Russian soil
Trump said in November 2019 that he was thinking about visiting Russia, at Putin’s invitation, to attend a 2020 military parade in Moscow. The US government has repeatedly called out Russia’s aggressive moves around the world, so a visit from a sitting US president would be highly unusual. Obama made the last visit in 2013, when relations were warmer, before Russia invaded Ukraine. After months of speculation, Trump declined the invitation, as the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc around the world.

Trump gave Putin a PR victory on Covid-19
As the coronavirus pandemic exploded in spring 2020, the US accepted a large delivery of medical supplies from Russia, which were flown into New York City. Trump thanked Putin for the “very nice offer,” even while diplomats sparred over whether the equipment had been donated or purchased. Regardless, experts said the stunt was a propaganda bonanza for the Kremlin.

Trump invited Russia to 2020 G7 summit
Trump announced in May 2020 that he was postponing the US-based G7 summit because of the coronavirus and that he also wanted to extend invitations to Russia and three other countries to participate. Other G7 leaders swiftly rejected Trump’s idea to invite Putin, because Russia still hasn’t withdrawn from Crimea and has continued its aggressive actions around the world.

Trump directed CIA to share intel with Russia
Trump directed the Central Intelligence Agency to share more counterterrorism intelligence with Russia, according to the national security website Just Security, which cited two former CIA officials who had served under Trump. The officials said the US received nothing in return, which is consistent with past intelligence-sharing with Russia.

Trump ignored warnings of Russian bounties
The President was repeatedly told during in-person briefings and in written intelligence reports in 2019 and 2020 that the US government believed Russia paid bounties to Afghan militants to kill Americans, according to CNN and other outlets. Despite being given this information, Trump did not publicly condemn Russia or take any retaliatory actions. Trump has denied receiving any briefings on the topic.

Trump called Russian bounty story a ‘hoax’
Rejecting the findings from US intelligence agencies, Trump said allegations that Russia paid Taliban militants to kill US troops were “another hoax” that was “made up by fake news.” By saying he doesn’t believe the allegations against Russia, Trump publicly sided with the Kremlin, which denies paying any bounties.

Trump never raised Russian bounties with Putin
After Trump was briefed on the Russian bounties, and after the story was revealed by the press, he had several phone calls with Putin. But Trump never raised the topic of bounties with Putin during these calls, never told Putin to stop and never threatened any retaliation. “That’s an issue that many people said was fake news. … I have never discussed it with him,” Trump said in a July 2020 interview with Axios.

Trump ordered US troops out of Germany
In June 2020, Trump approved plans to significantly reduce the number of US troops in Germany. The plan to remove about one-third of the force drew serious concerns from the Pentagon because it could compromise Europe-based defenses against Russia. In a letter to Trump, nearly two dozen Republican lawmakers said his decision would “strengthen the position of Russia to our detriment.”

CNN’s Zachary Cohen and Frederik Pleitgen contributed to this report.