Russian authoritarianism 'damaging relations'

Russia’s emergence as an increasingly authoritarian state could impair US-Russian ability to cooperate on key international security issues, according to an analysis by a major foreign policy organisation.

Continuation of Russia’s drift away from democratic norms under President Vladimir Putin “will make it harder for the two sides to find common ground and harder to cooperate even when they do”, said the report, issued by the Council on Foreign Relations.