An exceptional joint statement was adopted by US and Russian leaders amid ongoing tensions between the countries. This move sparked controversy in the administration of the American president and concern on Capitol Hill.
The “Unusual Declaration” is timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the meeting of American and Soviet troops on the Elba River, which took place on April 25, 1945. The broader goal of this initiative is to show that the United States and Russia can interact despite contradictions, the newspaper notes.
The publication recalls that the adoption of the declaration took place against the backdrop of “complaints from the Pentagon and the State Department on the behavior of Russia”. Journalists cited the Pentagon’s dissatisfaction with the hijacking of American aircraft by Russian fighters over the Mediterranean Sea, as well as accusations by US officials of Russian media about the dissemination of misinformation about coronavirus. The State Department has repeatedly criticized Moscow for supporting the offensive of the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the province of Idlib.
“I’m sure it was a Russian initiative”, – Angela Stent, a former US intelligence analyst and author of Putin’s book, says.
“Putin wants the United States to confirm that modern Russia, like the Soviet Union, is a great power”.
Some lawmakers and congressmen who have learned in advance about the joint statement have expressed concern about such a move. Some representatives of the Trump administration also fear that the declaration could offset Washington’s “harsh signal” to Moscow, the publication said, citing an informed source.
The last time the leaders of the United States and Russia made joint statements about the meeting on the Elbe, only 10 years ago, during the administration of Barack Obama in the USA and Dmitry Medvedev in Russia. At that time, the United States tried to “reset” relations with Russia, and shortly before that, they signed a bilateral agreement on the reduction of START III nuclear weapons, WSJ draws attention.