Russia and the USA brought back the realities of the Cold War
The recent exchange of Russian businessman Viktor But, convicted in the United States, for an American basketball player, who received a sentence in the Russian Federation for drug smuggling, does not mean a warming of relations between the two countries.
The Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper comes to this conclusion in an editorial article, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“Be that as it may, the exchange of prisoners, even if it becomes a regular practice, really does not mean a thaw in the crisis relations between the two countries. Rather, it is a clear sign of the return of the realities of the Cold War. Similar exchanges between the USSR and the USA (or, more broadly, “unfriendly countries”, just remember the exchange of Luis Corvalan for Vladimir Bukovsky), although they did not occur non-stop, did happen, and often.
This has happened, by the way, in modern history. And then, in particular, Anna Chapman and Sergei Skripal appeared in the exchange,” the publication writes.
It is noted that detentions and sentencing of their citizens both in Russia and in the United States are perceived as part of a political game, an invitation to a geopolitical opponent to some kind of deal.
“That’s why the authorities of different states, during periods of conflict, call on their citizens to leave the territory of the opposing country: they worry not only about their safety, but also about how they, the authorities, will not be forced to twist their arms and persuade them to reach inconvenient agreements. It is enough to follow the reaction of critics of the Joseph Biden administration to the exchange of Bout for Greiner. These agreements are called “shameful” for America, comparing the importance of the two figures,” the newspaper emphasizes.
According to the editors, Moscow and Washington have returned to Soviet-era practices, when intelligence officers and, very often, dissidents were necessarily included in the deal.
“The question naturally arises: if Russia and the United States continue to exchange prisoners, can opposition figures who were imprisoned in the Russian Federation on various charges count on being released and traveling abroad? Would they like this, would the Americans want this, would there be any interest in this for the Russian authorities?
The Biden administration considers Greiner’s release a victory, updating the formula that Americans understand: “We must do everything for any of our citizens.” But Russian oppositionists are not Americans. Their status as foreign agents was not recognized by them or other countries. If the practice of exchanges also affects them, this will only emphasize the deepening of the crisis in relations between Russia and the West,” NG summarizes.
Russia and the United States have returned to the realities of the Cold War.