The Kremlin responded with measured caution after Donald Trump declared victory in the US presidential election, emphasizing the continued strained relationship between Russia and the United States. While acknowledging Trump’s statements on seeking an end to the Ukraine war, the Kremlin maintained that time would be the ultimate judge of whether his words translate into concrete action.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, highlighted the long-standing animosity between the two nations. “Let us not forget that we are talking about an unfriendly country, which is both directly and indirectly involved in a war against our state (in Ukraine),” Peskov stated to reporters. He also emphasized that he was not aware of any plans for President Vladimir Putin to offer congratulations to Trump on his victory, underscoring the current low point in US-Russia relations.
Peskov expressed a cautious optimism about the potential for a shift in US foreign policy, stating, “We have repeatedly said that the US is able to contribute to the end of this conflict. This cannot be done overnight, but… the US is capable of changing the trajectory of its foreign policy. Will this happen, and if so, how … we will see after (the US president’s inauguration in) January.”
Russian and US diplomats have consistently remarked that relations between the two nuclear superpowers have only reached worse depths during the Cold War. Notably, Russian officials, including Putin himself, had declared before the election that the outcome of the US presidential race held no significant impact on Moscow’s stance, even as Kremlin-controlled state media exhibited a clear preference for Trump.
Kirill Dmitriev, the influential head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, voiced his belief that a Trump victory could present an opportunity to mend the fractured relationship between Russia and the United States. “This opens up new opportunities for resetting relations between Russia and the United States,” Dmitriev, a former Goldman Sachs banker with prior connections to the Trump team, added. It’s worth remembering the failed ‘reset’ attempt in 2009, when then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented Moscow with a symbolic button labeled “overload” in Russian instead of “reset” due to an apparent translation error.
The Kremlin’s cautious response to Trump’s declared victory reflects the complex geopolitical landscape and the deep-seated mistrust that defines US-Russia relations. Whether Trump’s promises on ending the Ukraine war translate into concrete actions remains to be seen, but the situation underscores the ongoing challenges and uncertainties facing the international political arena.
