(CNN) During and after the recent presidential election, Donald Trump said, "Wouldn't it be nice if we actually got along with Russia?" (At the time, the Republican standard-bearer stood in stark contrast to Mitt Romney, who called Russia "our number one geopolitical foe.") Getting along with Russia is a worthy goal, so long as the purpose is to attain a specific set of ends, not friendship for friendship's sake. In order to have a more productive relationship with Russia, we need to realize four things. First, Russia is still reeling from its loss of great power status.

Source: CNN January 12, 2017 13:09 UTC