Russia’s elite views Trump’s comeback as an opportunity to weaken Western unity on Ukraine and shift the global power balance in Moscow’s favour.
In his first comments after Donald Trump’s election as the 47th President of the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday the West’s post-Cold War control over global power was “irrevocably disappearing”. He went on to commend Donald Trump for acting “courageously” during a recent assassination attempt.
Donald Trump’s surprising political resurgence is being 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.
Within Moscow’s power circles, Trump’s populist stance that “America should focus on domestic woes over aiding countries like Ukraine” is viewed as a possible win for Russia’s ambitions to establish its sphere of influence globally.
In a broader sense, Trump’s victory is perceived 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 tried to challenge.
