In his first remarks after the election of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the West’s control over global power was “irrevocably disappearing” after the Cold War. He then praised Donald Trump for acting “courageously” during a recent assassination attempt.

Donald Trump’s surprising political resurgence is seen by influential members of Russia’s elite as an opportunity for Russia to weaken Western unity over Ukraine and reshape the global balance of power. The Washington Post reported.

Within 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 victory 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 allied with Russia as they seek to counter a liberal, Western-led world order that the Kremlin and its allies have long sought to challenge.

This is what Russian elites think about Trump’s victory

– Members of Russia’s highest political and ideological circles were outspoken in their reactions to Trump’s victory. This group, which included top decision-makers in politics, the economy and the military, viewed the victory as a major ideological shift.

– Alexander Dugin, a well-known nationalist thinker who advocates Russia’s expansionist policies, celebrated the victory by saying, “We have won,” and claimed on X that “the world will never be the same as before,” claiming that “globalists lost their last battle.”

– Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament, said on Telegram that the success of right-wing factions in the “free world” represents a setback for dominant left-liberal forces. He also noted that Europe openly supported Kamala Harris and saw 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 about dividing Europe and possibly the world, especially after a “victory on the battlefield ‘.

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

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

– Russian lawmaker Maria Butina, who previously served a prison sentence in the US for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, saw Trump’s victory as a “good opportunity” to improve bilateral ties. She hoped Trump would keep his promises to act as a “peacemaker.”

– There was cautious optimism within Russian business circles that Trump’s victory could bring positive changes, especially regarding the easing of sanctions. Many in the business community saw Trump’s approach as potentially helpful in reaching quick solutions and ending the conflict.

– Before the election, Russian officials publicly downplayed their interest in the US election. However, US authorities noted that Russian-led disinformation efforts aimed at disrupting the election were in fact intensifying, especially regarding Kamala Harris. These efforts reflected previous Russian strategies aimed at fueling isolationist sentiments The Washington Post report.

– Eric Ciaramella of the Carnegie Endowment said that compared to the decisive interference in 2016, Russian involvement in the 2024 election was marginal. Nevertheless, analysts emphasized that Russia’s extensive propaganda efforts over the past decade, especially 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 the traditional media alone.