Donald Trump’s election victory has sparked cautious optimism in Moscow, but Russian officials have made it clear that nice words are not enough for the Kremlin. While world leaders have sent congratulations to Trump one after another, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been left out. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that no calls to Washington were planned. Instead, he reminded that the United States is an “unfriendly country” that directly supports Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. Relations between the two countries, Peskov added, are already at a “historically low level,” Politico writes.
Putin’s cold response underscores the Kremlin’s hardening. Although Trump has repeatedly expressed respect for the Russian leader and promised to quickly end the war on terms that are expected to be favourable to Moscow, Putin now seems to be in no hurry to believe promises without action. The Kremlin is making it clear that this time, warm words must be translated into concrete steps.
Eight years have passed since the first wave of hope in Moscow after Trump’s victory in 2016, when Russian politicians were looking forward to a new phase of cooperation. That “honeymoon period,” as the Kremlin points out, ended with a wave of sanctions against Russia. This time, Russia’s political elite is taking the victory more cautiously. “We remember how a record number of sanctions were imposed on Russia during Trump’s first term,” said Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, stressing that “the break in the dialogue was not our fault.”
Similar sentiments are shared by influential Russian military bloggers who actively shape public opinion on the war. “It’s dangerous to rejoice in Trump’s victory too openly,” warned Voenny Osvedomitel on Telegram. “Trump’s approach to ending the conflict may look completely different from what the Russian leadership sees.”
For Russia, Trump’s victory opens up the possibility of a shift in US support for Ukraine. Putin’s supporters and state media were quick to pick up on Trump’s criticism of US aid to Kyiv as a signal of a possible change in Washington’s position. “The Americans are tired of foreign conflicts,” said Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and close to Putin. “This is a chance to reset relations.”
Despite the Kremlin’s caution, some Russian officials believe that Trump’s pragmatic approach could serve Moscow’s interests. “Trump has one useful trait for us,” said Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of the Russian Security Council. “He is a businessman to the bone, and he is mortally annoyed by spending money on dependents like Ukraine.”
However, the Kremlin is unequivocal: Moscow expects more from Trump than just promises. As Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted on Rossiya-24 TV channel, Trump’s words “must be backed up by concrete actions.”
While Russian media are cautiously enthusiastic about the possible benefits of Trump’s victory, their reaction to Trump’s criticism of US policy is no less telling. Russian media outlets immediately used his statements about internal US problems to reinforce their own narrative of the West’s “decline”. “Trump started talking about how America is sick,” Zakharova noted with glee. And this, she added, “is already remarkable progress.”
So, despite cautious optimism, the Kremlin is in no hurry to open its arms. Putin will be watching Trump’s every move closely, reminding him that this time, friendship requires real evidence, not empty promises.
