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Biden eyes Russia adviser criticized as soft on Kremlin

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Photo: Alexander Shcherbak\TASS via Getty ImagesPresident Biden is considering appointing Matthew Rojansky, head of the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute, as Russia director on the National Security Council, according to a source familiar with the situation.Why it matters: Rojansky has been praised for his scholarship on Russia and is frequently cited in U.S. media for his expert commentary. But his work has drawn criticism — including in a 2018 from Ukrainian alumni of Kennan that blasted the think tank he runs as an "unwitting tool of Russia’s political interference."Background: Rojansky has served as director of the Kennan Institute, widely viewed as one of the world's premier think tanks on Russia, since 2013. He was previously deputy director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.In 2018, 31 Ukrainian alumni of the Kennan Institute wrote an criticizing the think tank's "growing pro-Kremlin policies, lack of democratic procedures and unprofessional communication with Kennan Institute alumni in Ukraine."Rojansky also made an appearance in former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort's guilty plea for unregistered foreign lobbying on behalf of the pro-Putin former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.The big picture: Rojansky's potential appointment comes at a fraught moment in U.S.-Russia relations, with tensions running high over the Kremlin's , the of U.S. agencies, detention of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and recent military buildup along the border of eastern Ukraine.An NSC spokesperson declined to comment. Flashback: The NSC's Russia portfolio endured significant turmoil and staff turnover under the Trump administration, with several top officials in the Trump-Ukraine scandal and another White House grounds for unspecified security reasons.Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived for his first visit in Jerusalem amid nuclear talks in Vienna and growing tensions between Israel and Iran. Why it matters: Austin met his counterpart Benny Gantz and will meet later with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss Iran and regional security issues. An Army officer after he said they drew their guns and pepper-sprayed him during a traffic stop in December.Why it matters: Footage of the incident has drawn widespread criticism from leaders and groups in the state. Caron Nazario, who is Black and Latino, is heard saying “I’m honestly afraid to get out," to which a police officer responds “Yeah, you should be," in a video from a body-worn camera. The impact of the Derek Chauvin trial is reverberating far beyond the walls of the downtown Minneapolis courtroom.The state of play: With the trial set to enter its third week, activists across America are watching the proceedings unfold with heavy skepticism that what they perceive as justice will be served.

Photo: Alexander Shcherbak\TASS via Getty ImagesPresident Biden is considering appointing Matthew Rojansky, head of the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute, as Russia director on the National Security Council, according to a source familiar with the situation.Why it matters: Rojansky has been praised for his scholarship on Russia and is frequently cited in U.S. media for his expert commentary. But his work has drawn criticism — including in a 2018 from Ukrainian alumni of Kennan that blasted the think tank he runs as an "unwitting tool of Russia’s political interference."Background: Rojansky...

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Biden eyes Russia adviser criticized as soft on Kremlin

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