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Conflict in Syria

Expert says Trump’s win enables Russia-US relations to start from scratch

Concerning Washington’s relations with NATO under Trump, the analyst suggested that the US could set different conditions for Europeans

© EPA/JOE RAEDLE

BERLIN, November 16. /TASS/. Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential race makes it possible to begin many things in relations between Moscow and Washington from scratch, Alexander Rahr, a prominent German political scientist and expert on Russia, told TASS on Wednesday.

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"I believe we now have a chance to change the very atmosphere and revive constructive dialogue between Russia and the US," he said, summing up the outcome of the US presidential election. According to Rahr, the incumbent US president took Russia’s involvement in the situation in Syria "too personally."

"Trump made it clear that for him the enemy in Syria is not (Bashar) al-Assad but the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, outlawed in Russia)," Rahr said. "That’s why I believe it will be possible to come to terms on forging a joint coalition in the fight against IS. There is a chance, if Trump’s advisers do not interfere with this, which is very important too. If that is the case, a reset is possible."

Concerning Washington’s relations with NATO under Trump, Rahr suggested that the US "could set different conditions for Europeans."

"After all, he promised that he will deal with internal affairs, restoration of the US economy, creation of jobs, that in politics, America will trump everything else for him," he recalled. "In view of this, it will be difficult for him to explain to his voters why the US should pay for NATO’s expenditure. Trump can just exert pressure on Europeans to make sure that they make a contribution to their own security.".

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Syrian conflict Donald Trump

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