Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 16 February 2017

Russians remain patient for Bucking Trump’s anti-trade trend,

thaw with US under Trump European Union clears trade deal with Canada

RAF CASERT pagne during a visit to ci, the EU’s economic and
V. ISACHENKOV ELENA BECATOROS Brussels coinciding with the financial affairs chief.
Associated Press Associated Press approval. “Canada and “That means that the inter-
MOSCOW (AP) — As questions over the Trump ad- BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- Europe, I am glad to say, national trading and secu-
ministration’s contacts with Russia roil U.S. politics, the pean Union and Canada came up to this challenge rity architecture to which
Kremlin is taking a decidedly measured approach, on Wednesday cast their and sent a very strong sig- we owe our unprecedent-
carefully weighing what it says to avoid jeopardizing newly-approved trade nal to the world.” ed peace and prosperity
a chance for better relations between Moscow and deal as a much-needed The future of global trade is also threatened as never
Washington.
This same patience is evident in Russian state media,
helping to temper public expectations of the man
who entered the White House with a friendly posture
toward President Vladimir Putin.
Opinion polls have shown that the initial public eu-
phoria in Russia after President Donald Trump’s vic-
tory has given way to a more sober mood.
Last week, Putin used a visit by the president of Slo-
venia to raise the possibility of meeting Trump in
the homeland of his wife, Melania. But he acknowl-
edged it will take time for Trump to finish forming his
team before both sides can set a time and place for
such a summit.
“No one here is losing patience, because there
haven’t been any excessive expectations,” said
Alexander Baunov, an analyst with the Carnegie
Moscow Center. “No one expected Trump to make
some incredible moves on the Russian track in two
or three weeks. Things here are viewed from a far
more pessimistic, temporizing perspective.”
State-controlled broadcasters have dampened
public anticipation of a warming in Russia-U.S. ties
with daily reporting on a host of challenges for
Trump, including the resignation of National Security Demonstrators march against the so-called CETA trade deal near the European Parliament in
Adviser Michael Flynn. Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday, Feb.15, 2017. The European Union’s parliament approved
Yelena Sizova, a 47-year-old teacher, said she be- a trade deal with Canada, extolling the pact as a sign of cooperation at a time when many politi-
lieves any possible steps toward a rapprochement cal forces, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, are trying to halt globalization.
(AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
with the U.S. will be blocked by Trump’s foes in Con-
gress. beacon for cooperation, was put in doubt after before.
“My feeling is that we won’t get anything good from with the EU criticizing Presi- Trump nixed a trade deal So let us mobilize” Mosco-
him,” she said. dent Donald Trump’s pro- with Pacific countries, vici said at the University of
Russia-U.S. relations plunged to their lowest point in tectionist bent as a threat threatened to get tough Athens.
decades under former President Barack Obama be- to the continent’s prosper- on China and renegotiate The belligerent mood was
cause of the crisis in Ukraine, the war in Syria and the ity. a free trade pact with Mexi- also palpable at the EU’s
allegations of Russia’s hacking of the Democrats. After about seven years co and Canada. In Europe, legislature in Strasbourg,
Compared with Hillary Clinton’s hawkish tone on of negotiations, the EU political parties opposed to France.
Russia during the campaign, Trump’s promises to re- parliament approved on the EU’s message of shared “President Trump has given
pair relations and cooperate with Moscow on fight- Wednesday a deal with markets and open borders us another good reason
ing international terrorism have fueled expectations Canada that will eliminate for workers are doing well to intensify our links with
of a positive change. most tariffs for business be- in the polls ahead of elec- Canada — while Trump in-
Baunov argues it’s wrong to assert that there is wide- tween the EU’s economy tions in countries like the troduces tariffs, we are not
spread adulation of Trump among ordinary Russians. of half a billion people and Netherlands and France. only tearing them down
“There is no great enthusiasm about him; there is Canada’s 35 million. The EU parliament ap- but also setting the high-
just a feeling of relief,” he said. “While in the United Though critics claim it will proved the Comprehen- est progressive standards,”
States he is perceived as a conduit of Russian influ- mainly help large compa- sive Economic and Trade said Guy Verhofstadt, the
ence, no one in Russia sees him as such.” nies, proponents say it will Agreement with Canada leader of the EU parlia-
Maria Katasonova, a pro-Kremlin political activist, create jobs and wealth. by a wide margin of 408 for, ment’s ALDE liberal group.
said many Russians shuddered at the prospect of a And, they argue, it is a sore- 254 against with 33 absten- Canadian Prime Minister
Clinton victory because they hold her responsible ly needed reminder of the tions, allowing for its provi- Justin Trudeau is set to ad-
for the breakdown in ties as secretary of state. world’s capacity to coop- sional entry into force as dress the EU legislature on
“Her policy has led to the worst period in Russia-U.S. erate at a time when politi- early as April. Thursday.
relations since the Cold War,” Katasonova said. cal forces, even within the At the same time as the EU The EU vote should close
“That’s why people have pinned big hopes on EU, want to bring back na- lawmakers were voting, the the drawn-out approval
Trump. The Russians who are interested in politics tional barriers to migration bloc’s executive also took process across the 28 mem-
and geopolitics see Trump as a person with whom it and trade. aim at Trump. ber states, where some
will be possible to try to improve relations between “This is the vote that the “While we do not yet know governments and legisla-
our countries.” world was waiting today to the details of the policies tions had tried to modify or
But even as Putin and his lieutenants hope for warm- hear — whether there will the Trump administration scupper the deal.
er ties with the U.S., they are fully aware of the strong be a progressive voice in will pursue, we do know The Netherlands could con-
resistance in Congress and U.S. political circles. the world,” said Canadian that their instincts will be ceivably still hold up the
Members of the Russian political elite reacted with International Trade Minister protectionist more than deal if it demands an advi-
apparent shock to Flynn’s resignation.q Francois-Philippe Cham- ever,” said Pierre Moscovi- sory national referendum.q