US splits unrevealed Russia pressure group
(MENAFN) The Biden administration had previously implemented a covert task force designed to apply pressure on Russia, but according to a Reuters report on Tuesday, President Donald Trump has since disbanded the group as part of his broader efforts to encourage peace talks between Moscow and Kiev.
The inter-agency task force, which had not been publicly revealed before, was created earlier this year to explore ways of limiting Russian influence—ranging from ramping up economic pressure on former Soviet states to deploying intelligence strategies. However, officials said the group lost momentum by May, largely due to Trump’s reluctance to escalate tensions with Russia.
“It lost steam toward the end because the president wasn’t there. Instead of doing more, maybe he wanted to do less,” one unnamed official told Reuters.
Although the task force was never formally shut down, its operations were effectively paralyzed after a major shake-up at the National Security Council resulted in the removal of key staff, including the entire Ukraine-related team. It's unclear whether Trump was even aware of the group’s formation or its eventual inactivity.
President Trump has consistently emphasized that only Russia and Ukraine should determine the terms of peace, pushing both sides to negotiate directly. While he has used the threat of sanctions to encourage dialogue, he has also made efforts to rebuild U.S.–Russia relations, holding multiple phone conversations with President Vladimir Putin that he described as constructive.
During Monday’s G7 summit in Canada, Trump again called for Russia’s return to the G8, arguing that excluding Moscow from major global discussions was a strategic error.
Russian officials have expressed appreciation for Trump’s peace efforts and efforts to restore bilateral ties, contrasting them with the strained relations under President Joe Biden. However, Moscow has shown no interest in rejoining the G8, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying the G20 is a more accurate reflection of today’s global economy.
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