Russia long saw Donald Trump as the wild card in its strategy to improve relations with the United States.
But 14 months after he became U.S. president, Moscow is close to viewing him as a busted flush, unable to enact his pledge for better ties.
Trump reluctantly signed off on new sanctions against Moscow last summer over allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Last week he backed the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and the closure of Russia's Seattle consulate over the poisoning of an ex-Russian agent in Britain.