Inside Story - Can the US and Russia de-escalate rising tensions?

It was all-out verbal warfare this week as the United States imposed fresh sanctions on Russia.

US President Donald Trump reluctantly approved the new measure, saying the US would side with its allies and friends against Russian subversion and destabilisation.

He added that considered the sanctions bill seriously flawed, and he said he was only signing it for the sake of national unity.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev responded by saying the sanctions end hopes for improving Russia's relations with the new US administration.

He said Trump had been "fully outwitted" and his administration had "shown its total weakness by handing over executive power to Congress in the most humiliating way."

Trump then tweeted that the US relationship with Russia was at "an all-time and very dangerous low".

"You can thank Congress", Trump said.

As the crisis between the two countries deepens, what's behind this latest escalation?

Presenter: Richelle Carey

Guests:

John Herbst - Director of the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council and former US ambassador to Ukraine

Pavel Felgenhauer - Columnist with the Novaya Gazetta newspaper

Lilit Gevorgyan - Senior economist and country risk analyst at IHS Markit

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