3 Issues That Have Chilled U.S.-Russia Ties -- Michael Martinez, CNN
(CNN) -- Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin of Russia meet face-to-face this week after a long summer of antagonism.
Will the friction between them ease? Anyone fascinated by how power relationships evolve will be watching the two world leaders during this week's Group of 20 nations summit in Russia. Although the pair have no formal meetings scheduled, they likely will have opportunities to chat.
To say that the two men are at odds is putting it mildly.
Edward Snowden: fugitive or refugee?
The Obama administration made former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden perhaps the most wanted man in the world. Snowden faces espionage charges after he admitted leaking top-secret details about U.S. surveillance programs.
The U.S.-Russia relationship became strained when Snowden was revealed to be hiding in a Moscow airport, where the Russian government allowed him to hole up in a transit zone for weeks.
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My Comment: There are other issues at play. Missile defense, U.S. law targeting certain Russian lawmakers, Iran's nuclear program, what happened in Libya when Gaddafi (a Russian ally) was overthrown, U.S. support of Georgia, NATO expansion, no personal connection between the two leaders, etc..
