Tensions between the United States and Russia are on the rise. Despite a flurry of diplomatic activity between Moscow and Washington in recent weeks -- including the first face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 7 -- the two countries have made little progress in resolving their many outstanding issues. A July 17 meeting between U.S. and Russian officials, for example, resulted in no solution to a dispute over the seizure of Russian diplomatic compounds in the United States. Then on July 25, the U.S. special representative to Ukraine, Paul Volker, said that Washington was considering sending lethal weapons to Ukraine. Two days later, the U.S. Congress amped up the pressure, passing legislation that expands sanctions against Russia and limits Trump's ability to remove those already in place....
