Russia sees Trump’s win as chance to shift US policy on Ukraine conflict

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday to TASS that he was not aware of any plans by Vladimir Putin to congratulate Donald Trump on his election victory, and people should not forget that the United States is an unfriendly country towards Russia.

"Let’s not forget that we are talking about an unfriendly country, which is both directly and indirectly involved in the war against our state," Peskov said. 

A Russian independent media site, Vyorstka, reported that a Russian parliamentary source said that Putin congratulated the US President-elect on Wednesday "through acquaintances" before Peskov's Wednesday statement. 

Moscow is watching closely and analyzing statements made by American politicians about Russia, Peskov told reporters.

Peskov additionally stated that while Putin has noted his openness to any dialogue with Trump, Russian authorities "shouldn't be the ones to ask" about when that will happen. 

Russian-American relations under a second Trump term

Peskov said relations between the two countries were at a historic low, and it was practically impossible for them to get worse. However, he dually noted that Russia was optimistic about Trump's victory.

"You know that during the campaign, there were statements expressing his peaceful intentions on the international stage," he said.

An additional source told Vyorstka that Russian officials believed Trump was more beneficial for the country than his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. 

“There is hope, first of all, for a reduction in aid to Ukraine,” an unnamed parliamentary source reported to Vyorstka. “Trump is certainly much more capable of making a deal, and one that is better for us, than Harris.”

Trump has previously said that he would end the Ukraine-Russia war "in one day." 

"I know Zelensky very well, and I know Putin very well, even better. And I had a good relationship, very good with both of them. I would tell Zelensky no more. You got to make a deal. I would tell Putin, if you don't make a deal, we're going to give him a lot. We're going to [give Ukraine] more than they ever got if we have to. I will have the deal done in one day. One day," Trump told Fox News in July. 

Peskov said the US was capable of changing the trajectory of its foreign policy, but "we'll see in January," when Trump takes office, if that happens.

Other Kremlin reactions

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday Moscow had no illusions about Trump, noting that there was what it called a bipartisan anti-Russian position among the US ruling elite designed to try to contain Russia.

"Russia will work with the new administration when it 'takes up residence' in the White House, fiercely defending Russian national interests and focusing on achieving all the set objectives of the special military operation (in Ukraine)," the ministry said, as reported by Reuters.

"Our conditions are unchanged and are well known in Washington."

Kirill Dmitriev, the influential head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, struck a softer note, saying a Trump victory could be a chance to repair ties.

"This opens up new opportunities for resetting relations between Russia and the United States," added Dmitriev, a former Goldman Sachs banker who has previously had contacts with the Trump team.

Vyotska reported on Wednesday that other Russian officials congratulated Trump through informal channels as well, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev. 

Reuters contributed to this report.