Sharp turnaround of Russia-US relations unlikely

ROOM FOR ANTI-TERRORISM COOPERATION

Despite the clouded prospect of overall Russia-US relationship, there is a silver lining. Fighting international terrorism has been one key aspect of both Putin's and Trump's foreign policies, and the two sides are exploring cooperation in this area.

As far as the fight against terrorism is concerned, Trump continues to insist that it is necessary to cooperate with Russia. Putin also said that Russia considers the United States as its most significant partner in anti-terrorism operations. Both leaders have called for coordinated cooperation with each other for the sake of wiping out the Islamic State group and other terror organizations while resolving the Syrian crisis.

"If the US government and the Russian government want to do something, there are things they could do," said Paul Saunders, executive director of the Center for the National Interest based in the United States, specifying that there are creative ways in which the two countries could increase cooperation even in this current fraught political environment, particularly by using military-to-military "de-confliction" channels.

"If there was some kind of cooperation in Syria that was viewed as a success by the (US) administration, then I think that could help to facilitate contacts on other issues, no question," he added.

Nevertheless, concrete details on Trump's policy with regard to terrorism, Syria and the Middle East remain unknown. Even if his administration manages to break through political constraints, its proposition still has to center around national interests. As Russia and the United States have different goals on Syria, the two countries are destined to have a hard time balancing their strategic interests.

In addition, some warn that the US alleged stance of double standards and one-sidedness on fighting terrorism could also affect its cooperation with Russia.

"If an attack takes place in the United States, it is an act of terrorism, and if it happens in Damascus, then it is a struggle for liberation from the tyrant Assad," Kortunov said.

"By the way, I believe that one of the reasons for the failure of the American intervention (in Afghanistan) in 2001 was that the US wanted to do everything unilaterally," Kortunov said, "It is difficult to fight terrorism in such a manner."