'An incredible chess move': Putin checkmates Obama after symbolic sanctions manoeuvre

It wasone of the most brilliant geopolitical chess moves in over a decade, and it involved doing nothing,according toEurasia senior analystLauren Goodrich.

An expert on Russian politicsat the intelligence firm Stratfor, Goodrich was referring to RussianPresident Vladimir Putin's response, or lack thereof, to the recent sanctions imposed on his country by U.S. President Barack Obama,

Instead of retaliating for Obama's order Thursday toexpel35 Russian diplomats and close down two Russian compounds, Putin insisted he would not reciprocate.

• Trump says Putin is 'very smart'
• U.S. senators call for sanctions
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And, for good measure, he invited the children of U.S. diplomats accredited in Russia to the New Year's and Christmas parties in the Kremlin.

"Putin deciding not to retaliate and say I'm going to wait for the Trump administration, delegitimizesObama's decision on one side and then also puts extra pressure on Trump to act more conciliatory when he comes in," said Goodrich.

"It's an incredible chess move."

Allegations of hacking

Obama's actions were in response to allegations that Russia is to blame for two significant email hacks during the U.S. election campaign. The FBI and CIA claimRussia was attempting to influence the campaign tohelp Donald Trump win the White House.

The president's response was met by faint praise fromseniorSenate Republicans John McCainand LindseyGraham, who said it was "long overdue" but a "small price for Russia to pay for its brazen attack on American democracy." The senatorssaid they will lead the effort in the new Congress to impose stronger sanctions.

Meanwhile, president-elect Trump, who has been criticized for being much too cozy withPutin, said it was "time for our country to move on to bigger and better things." He also praisedPutinon Friday, tweeting, "Great move on delay (by V.Putin) I always knew he was very smart!

Goodrich said while the sanctions "are not detrimental, don't hurt Russia and don't really put much pressure on Russia," Obama had limitedoptions.

Russia's cyber capabilitiesare mostly inside the country, making it difficultto sanction themin any meaningful way, she said.

"Russiahas protected itself very meaningfullyover the past few years in which it's hard to figureout what doyousanction in order to crack down on Russia."

The sanctions announced by Obama, then, are part of a strategy to make a public decree about Russia's actions and Russia's meddling in the electoral process, she said.This is of particular importance with the European election cycle next yearand fears that Moscow may want to interfere andcreate instability in Western Europe.

"The U.S. wanted to make a very publicstatementon this is what Russia is doing. This is the harm it can cause," Goodrich said.

ConcernsTrump will ease sanctions

As well,the Obama administration,concerned thatTrump maystart easing up on some of the previous sanctions levied on Russia, decided toaddanother layer, Goodrich said.

"It's much more difficult for the newadministrationto pick down to theimportantsanctions if theyhavethese newsanctionson top of them."

Russia, so far, has been able to weather those previous sanctions, imposed in 2014 against its energy and financialsector, Goodrich said.

But that won't last, Goodrich said, and in the years ahead, Russia is going to need Western technology and investment again.

"The sanctions that Obama put on Russia in 2014 are the real sanctions," Goodrich said. "Obamareally hit Putin where it hurts."

But Robert Kaufman, a political scientist who specializesin U.S. foreign policy at Pepperdine University, disagreed.

"It's too little, it's too late," Kaufman said about Obama's recent measures. Indeed, the president'swhole approach to Russia and Putin's regimehas been rather feckless, Kaufmansuggested.

"TheresponsetoPutinis more out of personal pique thatPutindared to undermine HillaryClinton'selection chances rather than any concrete, strategic, programmaticresponse."

Obama didn't do anythingwhen it counted to impose the types of sanctions that would have had real bite, Kaufman said. The2014 sanctions may cause inconvenience, but haven't done anything to contain Putin, he said.

"If you're reallyserious aboutstoppingPutin,you've got to go after their energysector,bankingsector,youhave toarm Ukrainewith defensivearms ... and start calling Russiafor what it is."

At the beginning of hisadministration,Obamasought to "reset" relations with Moscow. But Kaufman believes that despite Russian geopolitical aggression, Obama continued to adhere to that principle.

"During his administration, right up until the end, he resisted any and all measures to abandon the reset even after Russian behaviour literally falsified all of its premises."

"I think even if youare anObamasupporter, this last-minute flurry of petulant diplomacydoesn'tdo any good. This is Donald Trump's issue now. Not Obama's."