Russian TV Accuses Trump Of ‘Double Standards’ Over Khashoggi

Television channels aligned with the Russian government have seized on what they call America’s “double standards,” in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to ignore evidence implicating the Saudi Crown Prince in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

They compared Trump’s inaction with Western sanctions imposed after the attempted assassination in Britain of the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, suggesting that Western countries only invoke “principles” when it suits them.

On his weekly news show this Sunday, Dmitry Kiselyov showed a video of Trump blaming “the world” for Khashoggi’s death. “[America] is demonstrating a classic case of double standards,” he said. “On the one hand, a leniency towards Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, an intransigence with, and readiness to punish, Russia.”

Kiselyov wasn’t calling for Saudi Arabia to be punished though. The case simply made clear, he argued, “the price of Western and American principles,” and that the West’s punishment of Russia had nothing to do with values.

On Artyom Sheynin’s Channel One show, one of his regular Polish guests commented cynically that the Saudi case offered Moscow an opportunity. “You Russians should be very glad,” he said. “If you become U.S. allies, too, you can kill whoever you want!”