"It's been like watching a slow-moving train wreck for nearly two years," Andrew Kuchins, a Russia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said of the Obama-Putin relationship. "Mr. Putin and Mr. Obama don't like each other at all. I think there's a deep degree of disrespect." See the article – Newsmax (9/3/2013).
"The good news is that this is not the Cuban Missile Crisis," said Andrew Kuchins, "But one thing is clear to me — that this is the worst personal relationship between US and Russian, perhaps even US and Soviet, leaders in history," Kuchins said. "I really think these two guys, Mr Putin and Mr Obama, don't like each other at all. I think there's a deep degree of disrespect." See the article – Al-Arabiya (9/3/2013).
Kuchins said. “It’s very likely that we could see this relationship muddle along at this, very, very kind of unpleasant level for the next three years until we’re looking at a new administration in the United States.” See the article – The Washington Post (8/31/2013).
Iran and Russia can be expected to work closely to protect their mutual ally, says Andrew Kuchins. "It is not clear to what extent the Russians and the Iranians are coordinating their support for Syria," he says. "But to the extent that they are, a strike on [Syria] would almost inevitably push Tehran and Moscow closer together to ensure that the Assad government does not fall." See the article – RFE/RL (8/30/2013)
"Even in the wake of the Georgian War in August 2008, when the U.S.-Russian relationship was virtually frozen, so many levels of cooperation froze and/or broke down," says Andrew Kuchins. "But a couple things that remained were the Russian role in supplying fuel for our troops in Afghanistan, as well as the heavy lift capabilities that Russian and Ukrainian air cargo companies provided." Kuchins points to the herculean efforts of the largest plane in the world, the Antonov An-225 Mriya, which among other Russian airpower, helps transport some of America's heavier machinery in an out of Afghanistan. "If either of those things fell to the wayside, it would have a very, very serious effect in short order on the capacity of our troops to perform," he says. See the article – U.S.News & World Report (8/29/2013).
Andrew C. Kuchins said the administration would leave the ball in Mr. Putin’s court. “At some point you’ve just got to make the judgment that it’s not working, it’s not going anywhere,” he said. “Why don’t we let him hang in the breeze for a while?” See the article – The New York Times (8/7/2013).
