President Trump remains optimistic about his relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the White House said Monday, despite growing concerns about Russia’s alliance with Syria in the wake of lasts weekend’s chemical weapons attack in Damascus.
“The president still feels that if we can have a good relationship with Russia at some point, that’s a good thing for the world,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters. “But at the same time, this president is going to be tough on Russia until we see some changes in behavior.”
The White House has repeatedly touted Trump’s actions toward Russia in recent weeks, pointing to his expulsion of Russian diplomats last month and the fresh sanctions leveled against several Russian oligarchs last week.
Trump went further in a series of tweets on Sunday, calling out Putin by name as he blasted him for supporting Syrian leader Bashar Assad.
“President Putin, Russia, and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price to pay,” Trump tweeted.
Those comments came hours after reports emerged of a deadly chemical weapons attack near the Syrian capital, killing dozens of civilians in the area.
Sanders blamed reporters on Monday for refusing to acknowledge the punitive actions Trump has already taken against Moscow and allies of Putin’s regime.
“We’ve been very tough on Russia for quite some time. I think the only people who didn’t understand that or see that are people in the press,” she said.
