When President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, some Russian hardliners had hope that his unpredictable style could help Moscow regarding Ukraine. However, following his actions against Iran, many now see Trump as a growing threat to Russia and doubt his previously perceived pragmatic nature. Some hardliners are urging Moscow to stop the U. S.-brokered peace talks on Ukraine and to intensify its military efforts, claiming that U. S. dealings with Iran showed Washington cannot be trusted.
Nationalist figure Konstantin Malofeyev expressed concern about the U. S., suggesting it poses a threat to both Russia and Europe. Influential war blogger Boris Rozhin criticized Trump, calling him a dangerous figure and expressing skepticism about any agreements with him. Academic Andrei Sidorov labeled Trump as “a dangerous man,” expressing regret that Trump survived an assassination attempt, highlighting a sense of helplessness regarding the U. S.’s actions.
The Kremlin hopes Trump could help resolve the Ukraine war favorably for Russia and remains critical of U. S. actions while avoiding direct criticism of Trump. It continues to express its interest in peace talks regarding Ukraine but faces uncertainty over the timing amid tensions in Iran.
The Kremlin’s position indicates an effort to maintain some engagement with Trump while opposing his policies. Nevertheless, analysts suggest that Russia currently has limited capability to assist Iran amidst these dynamics. Some see potential benefits for Russia in rising oil prices and the possibility that Ukraine might receive fewer U. S. military supplies if conflicts in the Middle East persist.
Despite the Kremlin’s cautious approach, there is significant anxiety among Russia’s security and political figures. They view Trump’s aggressive stance as undermining Moscow’s global influence while Russia is bogged down in Ukraine. Hardliners fear that Trump is systematically targeting Russia’s allies, citing the falls of various leaders such as Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, both of whom faced U. S. intervention.
There is also concern about Cuba, which may come under U. S. scrutiny. Critics of Trump accuse him of being too lenient toward Russia and suggest that his decisions have unintentionally alienated strong allies of Moscow. Some hardliners even express fear that Trump could prioritize confronting Russia, despite no indication of such an intention from him.
Ultra-nationalist philosopher Alexander Dugin, who once viewed Trump as a potential ally for Russia, now expresses disillusionment. Dugin believes that any favorable relationship between Trump and Russia has diminished as Trump moves away from his original Make America Great Again (MAGA) principles and aligns more with neoconservative interests. He suggests that engaging with Trump in his current form is inadvisable.
With information from Reuters
