A dossier on President Trump’s psychological makeup is being prepared for Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a report Monday by NBC News.
A senior Kremlin adviser describing the dossier to NBC said Trump is a “risk-taker” who can be “naïve.”
The story also quotes former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov on the record. He tells NBC the effort is aimed at giving Putin more information on Trump before they meet, and that the psychological portrait is focused on Trump’s behavior in recent months.
Trump’s relationship with Putin and his attitudes toward Russia have raised enormous attention in Washington and around the world.
{mosads}Trump has signaled he wants to improve relations with Russia — even after an election during which U.S. intelligence agencies say Moscow interceded as part of an effort to help Trump and hurt Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
Moscow is believed to have hacked the Democratic National Committee email as well as the email for Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned last week after coming under criticism for holding discussions with Russian officials about U.S. sanctions imposed on Moscow. The discussions took place before Trump became president.
Trump has scoffed at suggestions that he will not be tough with Russia, saying more than once that Clinton would be less tough if she were in the White House.
Administration officials have also sometimes signaled a tougher approach. In her first address as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley offered a warning for Moscow.
“The United States continues to condemn and call for an immediate end to the Russian occupation of Crimea,” Haley said earlier this month.
“Crimea is a part of Ukraine. Our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control over the peninsula to Ukraine.”
Former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov said Russia is nervous about Trump
“Absolutely not — not laughing,” Mikhail Kasyanov said. “The situation is very serious and the whole of [Putin’s] team, they are nervous.”