'Interesting' Timing of Skripal Scandal 'Close to Russian Elections' – Analyst

Sputnik: What is your take on the massive political debate we have been having today with regard to the geopolitical situation since the Skripal case came along?

Alex Christoforou: I personally think there is no evidence that has been presented, so I find this to be a complete hoax. […] There’s been no evidence according to the national law that the UK should have provided after the poisoning that has occurred in Salisbury. I find it interesting that all this is occurring very close to today’s elections and [ahead] of the World Cup taking place in just a few months. So I’m very skeptical when I see world leaders, especially the world leaders who rushed the world into war in Iraq, Libya, Syria, when they come out right away and speak of guilt without presenting any viable evidence. Everything is very curiously timed. Either way, Putin will win the election and we will see what happens after that.

Sputnik: What do you think we will hear regarding allegations from mainstream Western media about the Russian elections being fair or unfair?

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Alex Christoforou: Basically I know that the reaction will be the same talking points about unfair elections, branding the Russian Federation as some sort of an outlaw regime and Putin as some sort of pariah, despot. This is the talking point they have been propagating the last three or four years. The fact of the matter is that right now on the international stage, Vladimir Putin is probably one of the few statesmen, one of the few measured leaders who works in a very measured and calculated diplomatic way to resolve a lot of issues that are on the world stage, as opposed to a lot of flamboyant and outrageous rhetoric we’re hearing from some of the other major powers in the West.

Sputnik: Do you think Russian-US relations will continue to deteriorate? Is there any field left for cooperation at all between the two countries?

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Alex Christoforou: I think Russia is always the first to the US and the Europeans as partners. Unfortunately, we don’t hear the same type of rhetoric coming from the other side. I think that from Russia’s standpoint there is always room and time to cooperate on numerous issues, whether it’s Syria, the environment, lots of issues Russia is keen to cooperate on. Unfortunately, we don’t hear the same coming out of the West. I’m in agreement that, I think that for the time being, especially until Trump runs for office again in 2020, we will see a deterioration in relations between the US and Russia.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of Alex Christoforou and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Sputnik.