Have no illusions about US President-elect: Russia after Trump triumph

Russia on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential election, but at the same time made it clear that Moscow will interact with the new US administration while firmly upholding its national interests.

Simultaneously, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he had no information on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to congratulate Trump, but emphasised that Moscow views the US as an 'unfriendly' country. Peskov reaffirmed the Kremlin's claim that the US support for Ukraine amounted to its involvement in the conflict, telling the media: "Let's not forget that we are talking about the unfriendly country that is both directly and indirectly involved in a war against our state."

In its first reaction after Trump's election triumph, the Russian foreign ministry said, "We have no illusions regarding the President-elect, who is well known in Russia, or the new Congress, where Republicans have reportedly won control. The US ruling political elite adheres to anti-Russia principles and the policy of 'containing Moscow'. This line does not depend on changes in America’s domestic political barometer, no matter if it is Trump and his supporters’ 'America above all' or the Democrats’ focus on a 'rules-based world order'."

Insisting that Russia's conditions have not changed — "and Washington is well aware of them" — Moscow emphasised that it will interact with the new administration, when it comes to the White House, while firmly upholding the country's national interests and working to achieve all the goals of the special military operation in Ukraine.

The Russian foreign ministry said there is an "obvious civil discord" in the United States, with the electorate having split into almost equal halves. "In fact, we are witnessing confrontation between Democratic and Republican states, and between the advocates of 'progressive' and traditional values. It is possible that Donald Trump's return will fuel internal tensions and bitterness between the confronting camps," the statement mentioned.

It stated that the Republican candidate, who relied on the experience of his previous presidency, highlighted issues that are of "real interest" to the electorate, namely, the economy and illegal migration, as a counterbalance to the "White House’s globalist course".

Russia said Trump won despite an overpowering propaganda campaign which the Democrats had launched against him based on the administrative resource and support from the liberal media. "In these circumstances, the ruling group was unable to use the chronically ill American 'democracy', a system which is outdated, archaic and incompatible with the modern standards of direct, fair and transparent elections, to prevent Kamala Harris’s defeat," it added.

With agency inputs