Donald Trump’s surprising political resurgence is being seen by influential members of the Russian elite as a chance for Russia to weaken Western unity on 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 woes over aiding countries like Ukraine” is viewed as a possible win for Russia's ambitions to establish its sphere of influence globally.

In a broader sense, Trump’s victory is perceived as a success for conservative, isolationist forces, aligned with Russia, seeking to counter a liberal, Western-led world order that the Kremlin and its allies have long tried to challenge.

Here's what Russian elites think about Trump's win

- Members of Russia's top political and ideological circles were candid in their reactions to Trump’s win. This group, encompassing top decision-makers in politics, economics, and the military, viewed the victory as a significant ideological shift.

- Alexander Dugin, a well-known nationalist thinker advocating for Russia's expansionist policies, celebrated the win by saying, “We have won,” and claimed on X that “the world will be never ever like before,” while asserting that “globalists have lost their final combat.”

- 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” marks a setback for dominant left-liberal forces. He also commented that Europe openly backed Kamala Harris, seeing her as a continuation of policies linked to 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 on dividing Europe and potentially the world, especially following “victory on the battlefield.”

- Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian parliament’s foreign affairs committee, predicted a notable impact on the Ukraine conflict, citing Trump’s pre-election rhetoric. He noted that Republicans likely would not support continuing extensive American financial aid for Ukraine, which he argued would expedite the collapse of President Zelensky's government.

- Some in Russia’s leadership remained cautious. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov highlighted that while Trump’s campaign expressed a desire to end support for Ukraine, Russia would wait to see if this rhetoric turned 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 legislator Maria Butina, who previously served prison time in the US for acting as an unregistered foreign agent, viewed Trump’s win as a “good chance” to improve bilateral ties. She hoped that Trump would follow through on promises to act as a “peacemaker.”

- Within Russia’s business circles, there was a cautious optimism that Trump’s victory could bring positive changes, particularly with regard to easing sanctions. Many in the business sector viewed Trump’s approach as potentially helpful in reaching solutions quickly and ending the conflict.

- Prior to the election, Russian officials publicly downplayed their interest in the US vote. However, US authorities observed that Russian-led disinformation efforts aimed at disrupting the election were, in fact, intensifying, particularly in targeting Kamala Harris. These efforts reflected earlier Russian strategies aimed at nurturing isolationist sentiments, according to The Washington Post report.

- Eric Ciaramella from the Carnegie Endowment said that, compared to the decisive 2016 interference, Russian involvement in the 2024 election was marginal. Nevertheless, analysts highlighted that Russia’s extensive propaganda efforts over the past decade, particularly through social media, have successfully shifted mainstream US political discourse in favour of anti-establishment and isolationist ideas that would have been less accessible through traditional media alone.