Nemorous respite

US President Donald Trump discusses with advisers and partners the suspension of work on an agreement against Russia to combat terrorism, including the Islamic State group. It is reported by Associated Press with reference to representatives of the administration and Western diplomats.

The reason for the interlocutors of the agency called "growing political risks in establishing a closer relationship with Russia." Trump opponents in Congress require investigation of contacts by the closest employees of the US President with representatives of the Russian authorities.

"Trump's skepticism about the conclusion of such a deal with Moscow is also associated with the growth of the influence of its advisers who took a tough position in relation to Russia, including the chief of the Pentagon James Mattis and the new national security adviser to Herbert McMaster," AP notes.

In addition, the continuing militarization of Russia contributes to a decrease in Trump's optimism in the issue of improving Russian-American relations. On February 24, the president said that he was dissatisfied with the deployment of Moscow cruise missiles , which contradicts the agreement on the liquidation of medium and lower -range missiles.

Russia is still ready to continue the fight against the IS even without the United States, the presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov commented on the message.

Russia was counting on a more active position of the new US administration in the fight against IS, said Andrei Krasov, First Deputy Head of the State Duma Committee on Defense. “Russia, of course, will survive this, but we thought that with the advent of the new US administration in terms of combating international terrorism, something will change. It turns out that nothing is changing,” the deputy said. “Trump said that he wants to find new allies in the fight against terrorism. It turns out that he is not looking for allies among those countries that conduct an active struggle against international terrorists in practice.”

On February 22, the representative of the White House Sean Spicer said that Trump intends to conclude a deal with Russia in the fight against terrorism and the Islamic State, as well as in matters of economic development. “He made it clear that if he could conclude a deal with Russia, such as the last few administrations tried to conclude, he will do this. If he can’t do it. But he intends to try. He will try, and his successes as a businessman and negotiating say that he will succeed,” Spicier said.

“He understands that if he can find a common language in the field of fighting the Islamic State, in the field of economic development in which we have common interests, then he will do so. It is in this direction that we will continue to work with Russia,” the official said.