President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a symbolic joint statement yesterday calling for renewed cooperation, and raised fresh concerns about their relationship.
The declaration was aimed to highlight cooperation between America and Russia throughout World War II and it commemorated the 75th anniversary of the linkup of US and Russian troops at the Elbe River in Germany on April 25, 1945.
In the statement, both Trump and Putin said they sought to cast their differences aside and cooperate on major issues.
“The ‘Spirit of the Elbe’ is an example of how our countries can put aside differences, build trust, and cooperate in pursuit of a greater cause,” the statement said.
It was first published by the Kremlin, and the White House published it later as well.
The statement was Putin’s idea.
“Putin wants validation from the United States that today’s Russia, like the Soviet Union, is a great power,” Angela Stent, a former U.S. intelligence analyst, told the Wall Street Journal.
The event isn’t usually commemorated, and the statement raised fresh concerns from lawmakers and policymakers, the Journal reported.
There are still ongoing tensions over Moscow’s disinformation campaign during the 2016 election and its efforts to aid President Trump.
Diplomats and national security officials have long been skeptical about Moscow’s ultimate goals.
The Russian government is providing critical military aid to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that turned the tide of the civil war in his favor, helping him defeat American-backed rebel groups.
Some experts fear the spate of anti-lockdown protests in the US could provide a ripe opportunity to Russia to interfere in American politics.
“We should be on guard,” former acting CIA director John McLaughlin previously said. “They have to be tempted. It’s a natural target for them.”
In February, the New York Times reported that intelligence officials told members of the House of Representatives that Russia was trying to get Trump re-elected in the 2020 presidential election in November—angering Trump, who feared it would be weaponized against him while campaigning.