Russian authorities and pro-Kremlin commentators welcomed the public rift between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but Moscow did not see it as an immediate victory. According to Reuters, the tension between Kiev and its most important ally is in Russia's favor, but it remains unclear how long it will last and what real consequences it will have.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Zelensky, and after the Ukrainian president retaliated, the US leader said that “it is time for Ukraine to elect a new president“. The remarks were widely reported in Russian state media and used by pro-Kremlin figures as evidence of Washington's weakening support for Kiev.
Former Russian President and current Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev sarcastically commented that the "Man of the Year" and the "new Churchill" had already been declared an obstacle to peace and American interests by their former patron. Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for economic deals with Washington, wrote that Zelensky had overestimated his capabilities and that his attacks on Trump would have serious consequences.
Moscow sees political motives behind Trump's actions
On October 9, Trump announced an agreement with Putin to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian fuel and on imports of Russian diesel. The US president also abandoned new sanctions against buyers of Russian oil, including China and India.
The leader of the pro-Kremlin Just Russia party, Sergei Mironov, described the conflict between Trump and Zelensky as an attempt to gain domestic political dividends before the midterm elections for the US Congress. "The US president needs low fuel prices for his voters. He also needs a scapegoat - someone to blame for the price increase," Mironov said. According to him, what is happening has little to do with Russia's interests.
The expected economic effect of the diesel deal is also limited. The initial volumes are relatively small, and Russia taxes fuel production, not its export. This means that additional revenues for the Russian budget may remain limited. Most US sanctions against Moscow remain in place, and Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory have not stopped.
Caution despite weakening ties
There is also skepticism in Moscow about Trump's frequent shifts in positions. Initial expectations that his meeting with Putin in Alaska would lead to a peace agreement on Russia's terms have gradually faded. Some Russian analysts view the meeting as a disappointment, similar to relations during Trump's first term.
A more tangible benefit for Moscow may come from Kiev's complaints that it did not receive timely warnings of Russian missile strikes and that access to the Starshield system, used for battlefield communications, was limited. On October 18, Zelensky spoke with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the crisis between Washington and Kiev and the possible resumption of peace talks.
Commentator Sergei Poletaev called on Russia to exercise patience. "The task for Russia is to recognize this developing reality without confusing it with an immediate victory," he said. According to him, Zelensky has made his choice, but the question remains how long Washington will suffer the consequences of the conflict with Kiev.
Sources: news.bg, internazionale.it, axios.com