via National Review by MAIREAD MCARDLE
Forgotten by some amid the controversy over President Trump’s congratulatory phone call to newly elected Russian president Vladimir Putin is that Barack Obama called the Kremlin to congratulate Putin on winning a third term in 2012.
“President Obama called Russian President-elect and Prime Minister Putin to congratulate him on his recent victory in the Russian Presidential election,” the Obama White House said in a statement late that Friday. “President Obama highlighted achievements in U.S.-Russia relations over the past three years with President Medvedev, including cooperation on Afghanistan, the conclusion and ratification of the START agreement, Russia’s recent invitation to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) and cooperation on Iran. President Obama and President-Elect Putin agreed that the successful reset in relations should be built upon during the coming years.”
At the time, Moscow was already providing military aid to the brutal regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad as it fought to survive in the country’s brutal civil war, a fact that the statement obliquely acknowledged: “President Obama and President-Elect Putin agreed to continue discussions on areas where the United States and Russia have differed, including Syria and missile defense.”
The complete story here > Flashback: Obama Congratulated Putin on His 2012 Election