Foreign Affairs

Kremlin Calls Obama Team ‘Geopolitical Losers’ In Final Parting Shots

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The Kremlin is increasingly escalating its war of words with the Obama administration, days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Moscow called the Obama administration a “bunch of geopolitical losers” Sunday, then accused Obama of trying to delegitimize Trump’s election Tuesday. Putin himself remarkably said those who spread “fake news” about Trump are “worse than prostitutes” to reporters Tuesday.

U.S. Russian relations reached their low-point under Obama’s term in office. Relations between the two countries are particularly fraught after the U.S. government formally accused Russia of attempting to meddle in the 2016 presidential election, and expelled several Russian diplomats.

Putin did not reciprocally expel U.S. diplomats as is usually the custom, in an apparent sign of expected better relations with the Trump administration. Trump indicated Saturday he would keep Obama’s sanctions on Russia until he sees friendlier actions from the Russian government.

“If you get along and if Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebody’s doing some really great things,” Trump declared. Trump has previously indicated he would like to “get along with Russia.” He also told reporters, “Russia will have much greater respect for our country when I’m leading than when other people have led it,” at a Wednesday news conference.

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