The day before President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin's scheduled phone call Saturday, top Trump aide Kellyanne Conway said the administration is still considering walking back sanctions imposed on Russia. The U.S. has placed sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, as well as for its meddling ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. "All of that is under consideration," Conway said Friday when asked during an interview on Fox & Friends if Trump is considering easing sanctions "right away."
Trump has previously suggested rolling back the sanctions imposed over Crimea if Russia agrees to a nuclear arms reduction. Conway in her interview claimed it is in the United States' interest to improve relations with foreign leaders, and to work with Putin if he wants to join the fight against "radical Islamic terrorists."
"But don't they have to change their behavior in order to get those sanctions lifted?" one of the hosts asked, pointing to Russia's actions in Syria. Conway responded by reiterating Trump's focus on "America first." "Yes, he will call out other nations when he believes it's not in the American interest and in the interest of humanity, but that's what these conversations are for, these private conversations with world leaders," Conway said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As for whether it was Trump or Putin who initiated their chat, Conway wouldn't say. "I won't divulge that," Conway said, when the question arose on a separate interview with CBS News on Friday. "But it also doesn't matter in that we have to have leaders talking to each other."
Catch a snippet of Conway's Fox & Friends interview below. Becca Stanek
-
Political cartoons for October 25Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include hospital bill trauma, Independence Day, and more
-
Roasted squash and apple soup recipeThe Week Recommends Autumnal soup is full of warming and hearty flavours
-
Ukraine: Donald Trump pivots againIn the Spotlight US president apparently warned Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept Vladimir Putin’s terms or face destruction during fractious face-to-face
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
