Classic Move: Obama Expelled Russian Diplomats, Putin Invites US Ones To Kremlin On New Year

After US President Barack Obama’s White House announced its plans to expel 38 Russian diplomats in relation to the alleged allegations of interfering in American presidential elections, it was expected that Russian President Vladmir Putin will respond in kind. However, he has postponed his plans to retaliate until January 20 at least, when Donald Trump takes charge.

Putin surprised everybody, offering New Year greetings to President Obama, his family and the American people. Putin came out as a magnanimous leader in the whole affair. He even invited the children of all the US diplomats in Russia to Kremlin on New Year.

“I offer New Year greetings to President Obama & his family, also to President-elect @realDonaldTrump & the American people!,” Putin said extending the invitation.

Putin knows Obama is a lame-duck president and he is hoping that Trump administration will be a lot less hostile than the current one. US President-elect Donald Trump took to Twitter to acknowledge Putin’s move to not take any retaliatory action.

He tweeted:

Kremlin is waiting to see how Trump’s administration handles the relations between the two nuclear rivals. Putin said that, “We reserve the right to retaliate, but we will not sink to the level of this irresponsible ‘kitchen’ diplomacy. We will take further moves on restoring Russian-American relations based on the policies that the administration of President-elect Donald Trump adopts.”

Needless to say, Putin outmanoeuvred Obama again. And in his desperateness to be seen “punishing” Russia, Obama made Putin look magnanimous.