The US-Russia idyll comes to an end  

As Donald Trump's time as US president winds down, the paradoxical idyll that has existed in recent years between Washington and Moscow is coming to an end. Joseph Biden's administration is no longer willing to turn a blind eye to Vladimir Putin's unfriendly manoeuvres towards the rest of the world, not just America.

Next Tuesday, the White House will announce a package of diplomatic and economic sanctions against Russia over the foiled poisoning attempt on opposition figure Alexei Navalny who, after recovering in Germany, returned home and was immediately imprisoned. The CIA and other intelligence services have found sufficient evidence to indict the Putin government.

Navalny suffered the poisoning attempt on 20 August last year with the nerve agent known as Novichok, which had already been used on previous occasions against other dissidents of the semi-dictatorial regime imposed by Vladimir Putin. Specifically in 2018 it was used in London against a father and daughter, whom the Krelim considered enemies. As then, the attack was committed by agents of the Russian National Security Service, formerly the KGB.

The news and details of the attack generated strong accusations against the Russian regime and a strong reaction from the UK. Even the United States, now presided over by Donald Trump, condemned it and even applied sanctions against Moscow. On this occasion, however, both Donald Trump and his administration remained silent. The good understanding between the two presidents was no secret.

The sanctions that are now anticipated are based on the violation of existing agreements in the international community for the prohibition of all chemical and biological weapons. But these anticipated sanctions next week will not be the only ones against unacceptable Russian actions that the Trump administration let pass without action.

In the coming weeks, the White House is also expected to announce sanctions against Russia, which it blames for last year's cyber-attack, known as Solar-Winds, which affected computer networks around the world, especially in Washington and New York, for several hours.