4. DIPLOMATIC WAR HIGHLIGHTS DIFFICULTY IN MELTING U.S.-RUSSIA RELATIONS

U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 2 signed a bill that won a sweeping majority vote in both houses of Congress to impose sanctions on Russia, with additional financial sanctions against the country.

Moscow responded to the sanctions by ordering a reduction in the number of U.S. diplomats in Russia. A diplomatic and media warfare has since erupted between the two sides featuring deportation of diplomats, closure of diplomatic institutions and restrictions of media activities.

Influenced by Russia's "election interference," relationship between the United States and Russia has not been picked up through Donald Trump's election in 2017.

The two countries are engaged in an intense game over international hotspot issues including the situations in Ukraine and Syria. The strategic conflict between the two countries has continued unabated, and their relationship seems hard to thaw.