Russia hopes for diplomacy revival under Trump's return
Representatives of Russian authorities and elites, including President Vladimir Putin, congratulated Donald Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election. However, a senior parliamentarian told the independent service Wiorstka that they did so through "acquaintances."
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According to Wiorstka, Russian authorities are currently distancing themselves from directly commenting on the election results in the U.S. but have unofficially congratulated Trump through "acquaintances."
Journalists have reported that, in addition to Putin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, former Economy Minister and current CEO of Sberbank German Gref, and the chairpersons of both chambers of parliament, Valentina Matviyenko, and Vyacheslav Volodin, also extended congratulations.
According to a Wiorstka source in the Kremlin, the Russian authorities "maintain relations" with the new U.S. president, which Moscow "wishes to preserve," as it "harbours certain hopes" related to Trump.
What are the Russians hoping for?
The new President of the United States has repeatedly stated that he intends to end the war in Ukraine even in one day. During his campaign, he criticized support for Ukraine. In this context, according to Wiorstka, the Russians hope for a reduction in American aid to Kyiv.
Meanwhile, in the Kremlin, they joke about ending the war in one day. “How will he achieve that? By threatening Putin? Zelenskyy? A war can be quickly ended only in one way: by abruptly stopping aid to Ukraine,” says a Wiorstka interviewee.
Another Kremlin source points out that the authorities are observing which conflict will be a priority for Trump: the one in Ukraine or the Middle East. If the new president focuses on Israel, Palestine, and Iran, then the burden of the Ukrainian situation will fall on the European Union.
Some in the Kremlin have concerns
Not all Russian government officials view the change positively. Some believe Trump will not be able to end the conflict and will not stop supporting Ukraine, indicating, in their view, that there is a "chance of escalation."
“Everything is more likely to lead to a global mess. This is not the end of the war. This is a global conflict,” says a Wiorstka interviewee.
