Relations between Russia and the United States have long been influenced by myths about each other. The newspaper reported this Foreign affairs.
According to Michael Kimmage and Jeremy Shapiro, former advisors to the US Secretary of State for Political Planning, the influence of myths creates an atmosphere of misunderstanding and leads to tension between countries.
For example, politicians have said that Americans believe Russia is a place of evil and cruelty. Columnists are sure that it is beneficial for Washington to create a strong villain image from the outside. Former aides added that American officials often make comparisons to Hitler to manipulate democracy-loving Americans.
Kimmage and Shapiro said many Americans believe Russia belongs entirely to Vladimir Putin, so there is no domestic politics there. They do not deny that the Russian leader is very popular in the country. However, the authors noted that, like other countries, the Kremlin faced many problems and resolved them.
Politicians write that as a result, Americans believed the myths so much that they fell into a trap that led politicians to misunderstand the Russian side. They warned that this would miss critical opportunities to find compromise and make Washington’s relations with Europe more militaristic.
The publication concluded that if American officials knew and understood Russia better, they could wisely exploit its weaknesses or be more successful in diplomacy.
Formerly US Congress accused Reluctant to improve relations with Russia.