Putin Thanks Trump, CIA for Intelligence With most of the news of interactions between the US and Russia decidedly negative, Russian officials have reported a positive over the weekend, crediting an intelligence tip from the CIA with having thwarted a major terrorist attack in St. Petersburg.
Details are still emerging, but the plot was said to involve bombing the Kazan Cathedral and a number of other sites around the city, which Russian officials said could’ve killed a large number of people, if it had been successful.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called President Trump on Sunday to think him for the intelligence-sharing, which seems to be a very positive step in bilateral relations. The White House subsequently praised CIA Director Mike Pompeo over the matter.
Ties between the US and Russia are at their worst point in decades, with US military buildups in Eastern Europe and allegations of Russian “fake news” driving a lot of the hostility. Though President Trump had initially talked of a rapprochement after being elected, he never followed through on this.