Opinion: Even Trump’s critics must admit: Improving U.S.-Russia relations would be a good thing

To the editor: The Times’ editorial on President Trump and Russia was thoughtful, balanced and largely correct. (“This is how Trump can achieve a balanced policy with Russia,” editorial, March 21)

It did, however, miss one very important point: Trump represents the best opportunity to improve US-Russian relations in more than two decades. Although the reasons vary, the Presidents Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama all had very little interest in or little chance at improving what many observers agree had become “a new Cold War.”

Of course, the investigations by Congress and the FBI into alleged interference in the 2016 campaign and whether anyone in the Trump operation was complicit in that activity must play out before anything can be accomplished regarding the larger relationship between the two countries.

It is certain that suspicions about the president’s motives and the hardening of congressional attitudes on Russia over the allegations of interference will make any improvement in relations more difficult. But there is nothing that prevents a “new equilibrium of cooperation and competition” in principle. And, the Trump administration is the first in 20 years with a real chance to walk back from many conflicts and to rebuild a balanced relationship, especially in military and geopolitical competition.

Larry Caldwell, Beaumont

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To the editor: The writer is a professor of politics emeritus at Occidental College, where he has taught U.S. national security and Russian foreign policy.

Your editorial makes sense if Russia’s interference in the campaign hadn’t been for Trump.

Trump lacks the credibility to act as head of state in any dealings with Russia. He’s tainted by the Russian interference, his shady financial history with Russians, his conspicuous praise of President Vladimir Putin and his repeated disparagement of America in comparing us to them. Trump’s words, policies and appointments, far from being reassuring, seem instead geared toward confusing us, as if Putin were Trump’s role model for governing.

How can we trust Trump when he seems intent on changing our country to be like Russia?

Patricia Casey, Fallbrook

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