washington confront russia syria ukraine cyberspace next u.s. president fourth face vladimir putin challenge deter kremlin often will white house take risk project power last four years russian president annex crimea destabilize eastern ukraine stymie u.s. hop oust syrian president bashar al-assad mount cyber attack u.s. officials blame hackers command orchestrate russian intelligence agencies late gambit putin week suspend treaty washington clean weapons-grade plutonium unite state impose economic sanction russia action ukraine yet force calm tensions eastern ukraine let alone surrender crimea current former u.s. officials argue white house fail understand putin bitterness decade soviet union collapse time russian leader feel west take advantage russia say unite state little influence course democracy russia willingness use force syria ukraine elsewhere achieve end result critics say could syria fester ukraine stay balance unable draw close europe even areas arm control nonproliferation pillars cooperation cold war could deteriorate putin russian leadership zero-sum world say andrew weiss carnegie endowment international peace think tank weiss argue russian leader unlikely change strip russia 2018 presidential election atmosphere putin domestic political fortunes depend external enemy namely unite state u.s. official suggest putin yet tip hand expect run will use force get way white house scar u.s. war iraq afghanistan administration never understand bruise putin many many russians feel 1990s determine regain consider russia rightful place world much less putin will get say official speak condition anonymity keep push meet serious resistance far official add eye many current former u.s. officials syria case point unite state week announce suspend talk russia ceasefire say russian syrian assault aleppo make mockery peace effort make desert call peace secretary state john kerry say quote roman historian tacitus analysts believe aleppo likely fall war sixth year grind assad survive atop shrink break fragment country endure world bad refugee crisis since world war two u.s. officials say white house yet decide next syria expect obama shift strategy wan months office consider impose sanction russia two u.s. officials say monday putin suspend treaty washington clean weapons-grade plutonium signal will use nuclear disarmament new bargain chip dispute unite state relationship worsen either side could look exert leverage score point nuclear arm control realm say daryl kimball arm control association another area unite state weigh options stealthy war cyberspace already way russia could escalate relations worsen u.s. officials anonymously say russian intelligence service interfere u.s. election process launch cyber intrusions presidential campaign democratic nominee hillary clinton u.s. political organizations state election offices kremlin deny allegations white house refrain publicly accuse russia hard evidence russia involvement emerge washington dilemma fashion response go public could tip moscow intrusions prompt retaliation two u.s. officials suggest critics take short term view argue take years achieve objective liberation baltic state soviet rule cold war-like policies use economic sanction weaken russia economy deploy nato troop baltics poland january deter russia may work time quick fix russians say one official next u.s. president putin 's fourth inherit sink russia tie