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Obama desperate to distance Trump from Putin: Analyst

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The administration of US President Barack Obama is desperately looking for ways to prevent President-elect Donald Trump from cooperating with Russia, says an American analyst.

James Petras, a political commentator based in New York, told Press TV on Wednesday that the recent expansion of US sanctions against Russia was aimed at creating a “conflictual situation” before Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

Ties between Washington and Moscow further soured after the US Treasury Department on Tuesday blacklisted several Russian companies and individuals over their alleged connection to the Ukrainian crisis and the 2014 reunification of the Crimean peninsula with the Russian mainland.

The Treasury said the sanctions were against eight Russian infrastructure, shipping and construction companies that have ties to projects in and near Crimea.

Despite Obama’s animosity towards Russia, his successor has pledged cooperation with Moscow on many levels.

Trump has made it clear that he would work with Russian President Vladimir Putin to resolve issues like terrorism.

The New York businessman has also rejected the Obama administration’s claims that Russia has intervened in the Nov. 8 presidential elections that led to Trump’s surprising victory over her Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

“It is very clear that Obama wants to finish his government with setting the stage for more conflicts with Russia and trying to corral Donald Trump from opening up a more reconcilliating meeting with President Putin,” Petras argued.

Petras said the “desperate” measure by Obama was not likely to succeed and change Trump’s tone towards Moscow, just like the outgoing president failed to change Trump’s stance with regards to China.

“He is trying to imitate that policy with Russia and it won’t succeed,” the analyst concluded.


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