Donald Trump’s comeback raises Russian hopes of weakening Western unity on Ukraine: Report | World news

In his first comments since Donald Trump’s election as the 47th president of the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the West’s post-Cold War control of global power is “irrevocably disappearing.” He went on to praise Donald Trump for acting “courageously” during a recent assassination attempt.

Donald Trump’s surprise political resurgence is seen by influential members of the Russian elite as a chance for Russia to weaken Western unity on Ukraine and reshape the global balance of power, Washington Post reported.

In Moscow’s power circles, Trump’s populist stance that “America should focus on domestic problems over helping countries like Ukraine” is seen as a possible win for Russia’s ambitions to establish its sphere of influence globally.

More broadly, Trump’s victory is seen as a success for conservative, isolationist forces aligned with Russia seeking to counter a liberal, Western-led world order that the Kremlin and its allies have long sought to challenge.

Here’s what Russian elites think about Trump’s victory

– Members of Russia’s top political and ideological circles were candid in their reactions to Trump’s victory. This group, which includes top decision-makers in politics, economics and the military, saw the victory as a significant ideological shift.

– Alexander Dugin, a well-known nationalist thinker advocating Russia’s expansionist policies, celebrated the victory by saying, “We have won” and asserted that “the world will never, ever be the same,” while asserting that “globalists have lost their last match.”

– Konstantin Kosachev, deputy chairman of Russia’s upper house of parliament, said on Telegram that the success of right-wing factions in the “free world” marks a setback for dominant left-liberal forces. He also commented that Europe openly supported Kamala Harris, seeing her as a continuation of policies associated with Obama and Clinton.

– Russian Orthodox billionaire Konstantin Malofeyev, who funds conservative causes in the West, said on Telegram that Trump’s election could pave the way for talks to divide Europe and potentially the world, especially after “victory on the battlefield.”

– Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian parliament’s foreign affairs committee, predicted a remarkable impact on the Ukraine conflict, citing Trump’s pre-election rhetoric. He noted that Republicans were unlikely to support continued extensive US financial aid to Ukraine, which he argued would hasten the collapse of President Zelensky’s government.

– Some in Russia’s leadership remained cautious. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov highlighted that while Trump’s campaign expressed a desire to end aid to Ukraine, Russia would wait to see if this rhetoric turned into actual policy. He confirmed that the United States is still considered an “unfriendly country” by Russia because of its involvement in conflicts against Russian interests.

– Russian lawmaker Maria Butina, who previously served prison time in the United States for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, viewed Trump’s victory as a “good chance” to improve bilateral relations. She hoped Trump would follow through on promises to act as a “peacemaker.”

– Within Russia’s business circles, there was cautious optimism that Trump’s victory could bring positive changes, particularly in terms of sanctions relief. Many in the business community viewed Trump’s approach as potentially useful in quickly reaching solutions and ending the conflict.

– Prior to the election, Russian officials publicly downplayed their interest in the American vote. However, US authorities noted that Russian-led disinformation efforts aimed at disrupting the election were indeed intensifying, particularly in targeting Kamala Harris. These efforts mirrored earlier Russian strategies aimed at fueling isolationist sentiment, according to Washington Post report.

– Eric Ciaramella of the Carnegie Endowment said that compared to the crucial interference of 2016, Russian involvement in the 2024 election was marginal. Nevertheless, analysts highlighted that Russia’s extensive propaganda efforts over the past decade, particularly through social media, have successfully shifted mainstream American political discourse in favor of anti-establishment and isolationist ideas that would have been less accessible through traditional media alone.