U.S.-Russia Economic Relations in the Trump Era
June 22nd, 2017
While the United States grapples with the continuing fallout of apparent Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, the political relationship between the two countries remains strained at best. On the economic front, however, the trade relationship is improving, despite ongoing U.S. sanctions against Russia.
Join the World Affairs Council in welcoming Dan Russell, president and CEO of the U.S.-Russia Business Council and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, for a discussion of trends in U.S-Russia trade and how the tense political situation will affect these economic ties. Don’t miss out on our final event of the 2016-2017 programming year!
This event is off-the-record
About the speaker:
Daniel A. Russell is the President and CEO of the U.S.-Russia Business Council, the premier Washington-based bilateral trade organization dedicated to commercial relations between the U.S. and Russia. Previously, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for relations with Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus and for international security and arms control issues in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs until July 2013. Mr. Russell co-authored and co-led, together with the White House Senior Director for Russia, the implementation of President Obama’s strategic policy “reset” with Russia in the Obama Administration’s first term. He also led the creation and oversaw the development of the U.S.-Russia Presidential Commission, with 20 working groups involving 60 U.S. and Russian government agencies.
As Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Mr. Russell served on the White House-led interagency team, overseeing the legislative strategy to lift the application of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment to Russia and improve access to the Russian market for U.S. business. As part of his efforts in the commercial sphere, he supported a government-to-government advocacy campaign to assist Boeing’s sale of 90 airliners to Russia valued at $11 billion, the largest American commercial export package to Russia in history. He also led the successful negotiations with Russia to conclude the newly liberalized visa regime that went into effect in 2012.
A career member of the Foreign Service, Mr. Russell served as Chief of Staff to Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns from 2008 to 2009, as Deputy Chief of Mission in Moscow from 2005 to 2008 and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Almaty, Kazakhstan from 2000 to 2003. Since joining the Foreign Service in 1983, he has held positions in Washington and abroad, including Director of the Office of Russian Affairs, Director of the Office of European Political and Security Affairs, Consul General at the U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg, Special Assistant for Europe to the Under Secretary of Political Affairs, and First Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Mr. Russell has worked in the State Department offices responsible for relations with the United Kingdom and Cuba and served at the U.S. Embassies in El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.
Mr. Russell holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maine and an M.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University.
About the moderator:
Carol Vipperman is the Senior Advisor & Program Manager for Henry M. Jackson Leadership Fellows Program at the Jackson Foundation. Carol joined the Foundation in July 2013, after serving as a consultant for over a year to it and other organizations. Her responsibilities include strategic communications and leading the Henry M. Jackson Leadership Fellows Program. Prior to joining the Foundation, Carol was president and founder of the Foundation for Russian-American Economic Cooperation (FRAEC) a nonprofit organization that for 22 years advanced U.S.-Russia business and community relations. Carol also had a successful career as a consultant and public speaker conducting training courses in marketing, customer service and sales for organizations throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. She is the author of two books – Marketing Your Service and Professional Selling, both published by Self-Counsel Press. Carol continues to consult part-time for nonprofit organizations. She has a B.A. from the University of Washington in Far Eastern and Slavic Studies, with an emphasis on Russia.
This program is a part of the “Understanding the Global Economy” series sponsored by the Foster Global Business Center