how Trump has confounded Russia

Sanctions on Russian Entities and Individuals: Trump’s administration imposed significant sanctions that hit Russian interests hard. In 2017, he signed the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), albeit reluctantly, which targeted Russia for election interference, its actions in Ukraine, and other malign activities. Over his first term, dozens of Russian oligarchs, officials, and entities faced sanctions—52 policy actions were recorded by Brookings from 2017-2019 alone. Russia repeatedly criticized these measures, seeing them as economic warfare.

Expulsion of Russian Diplomats: In March 2018, Trump ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle in response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in the UK with a nerve agent, which infuriated Moscow, which retaliated by expelling U.S. diplomats and called it an unjustified provocation.

Arming Ukraine with Lethal Weapons: Trump approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine in 2017, a step Barack Obama had avoided. This bolstered Ukraine’s defense against Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas, directly countering Russia’s military goals.

Military Actions in Syria: In 2018, U.S. forces under Trump’s command clashed with Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group in Syria near Deir ez-Zor, killing hundreds. This was a rare direct confrontation, and though Trump didn’t highlight it, Russia viewed it as an aggressive overstep, with officials decrying the loss of life and accusing the U.S. of targeting its personnel.

Abandoning Arms Control Treaties: Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019, citing Russian violations. Moscow wanted to preserve the treaty, as it limited U.S. missile development in Europe.

Boosting U.S. Energy Exports: Trump pushed hard to increase U.S. oil and gas exports, aiming to compete with Russia’s dominance in European energy markets. Whch prompted complaints from Kremlin officials about U.S. “unfair competition.”

Strengthening NATO Presence in Europe: Despite Trump’s public griping about NATO, his administration increased funding for the European Deterrence Initiative by $1.4 billion in 2018, enhancing U.S. troop presence and readiness in Eastern Europe. Russia saw this as encirclement, a direct challenge to its sphere of influence, and a violation of post-Cold War assurances.