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Coons: Obama's Russia 'Reset' Hasn't Worked

September 24, 2012

CHUCK TODD: Sen. Coons, let me pick up on a criticism that Sen. Barrasso made which is about the reset with Russia. Let's be realistic, Russia is standing in the way of doing anything in Syria. That's a bottom line. That's a foreign policy failure on the president's part why?

SEN. CHRIS COONS: I do think that Russia and China are responsible for hijacking the Security Council, for preventing responsible action on Syria.

TODD: Not just Syria, but they were -- they've stood in the way on Iranian sanctions, dragged their feet.

COONS: Absolutely dragged their feet.

TODD: And so the reset of Russia hasn't worked, why?

COONS: That's right. I think that's because of calculations that Putin's made internally about his own domestic politics. I think it's partly about the leadership in Russia, feeling that their diminished role in the world pushes them to act more aggressively.

Published under: Russia