Moscow will likely chose to continue with its campaign of disinformation and disruption against American democracy, he said in an interview. Whether that will be enough to clear a path for Mr. Trump is another matter. The Kremlin is cautious about his mercurial moods, and Democrats will continue to challenge the president over Russian actions, particularly the election meddling described by Mr. Mueller. “He is not seen as a reliable partner for Russia,” said Dmitri Trenin, the head of the Carnegie Moscow Center. Compared to the summit meetings that Mr. Trump has held with the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, Mr. Putin may seem a far more important, more tempting target, he said.

Source: New York Times March 25, 2019 11:48 UTC