After a friendly start, relations between the Trump administration and Russia soon soured. Will this relationship remain strained?

U.S.-led sanctions against Moscow are helping to create a more assertive Russia determined to countervail American power, even as a special counsel investigates alleged collusion between President Donald Trump’s election campaign and Moscow, have compelled Russia to pivot to China.

During his time in office, President Trump will relax and possibly abolish sanctions against Russia and mend the relationship between the US and Russia considerably. But the sense that Russia is a major threat and strategic opponent of the US, which needs to be contained, enjoys bipartisan consensus and represents mainstream opinion in US society. Trump must develop relations with Russia slowly and can only go so far; otherwise, his position will become untenable.

Since his election in mid-2016, the Philippines’ tough-talking mayor-turned-president, Rodrigo Duterte, has lavished Russia with praise. Moscow’s rapprochement with Manila is part of a broader effort by the Eurasian powerhouse to assert its long-diminished strategic presence in the Far East and the Western Pacific, including in the South China Sea.

This year is going to be very challenging for Russia. The country has entered recession, with GDP probably contracting by 5 percent or more, inflation soaring t

The tragedy of flight MH17 may be a turning point for the crisis in Ukraine as international public opinion turns against Pro-Russia forces and Russia. In a world where regional conflicts are globalized, the Sino-Russian relationship could complicate relations between China and Europe, but the renewed focus on Russia may force the US to reduce strategic pressures on China.

Following issues in Crimea, the topic of “core national interests” continues to emerge as a critical point in geopolitics. As Stephen Harner explains, it is necessary for the United States to follow China’s lead and define its own core interests. By eliminating any uncertainty over national priorities, both nations can continue seeking “A New Type of Great Power Relations.”

The threat of war from the chemical weapons crisis in Syria has waned, but has not disappeared, writes He Wenping. The Putin initiative marked a high-profile return to the Middle East, indicating that Russia has become an important player in the region, and to some extent, a decision-maker.

The meeting of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow brought about several notable agreements, signifying the growing social, political and economic ties between China and Russia. As China’s reliance on Russian energy increases, so do the broader implications this strategic alliance could have on US geopolitics.

Commenting on the recent reached China-Russia joint statement, Su Xiaohui says that China and Russia are not allying against the US and China is not seeking Russia’s support in its territorial disputes.