The Kremlin has praised what it perceives as the U.S.'s foreign policy shift, claiming on March 2 that it "aligns" with its "vision" after U.S. President Donald Trump's public dispute with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely coincides with our vision," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in comments published by state-controlled media.
"There is a long way to go, because there is huge damage to the whole complex of bilateral relations. But if the political will of the two leaders, President (Vladimir) Putin and President Trump, is maintained, this path can be quite quick and successful."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also praised Trump, calling him a "pragmatist" and adding that "that's what makes him interesting," state-controlled media reported on March 2.
Lavrov claimed that the Trump administration's so-called common sense approach dictates "stepping aside" from aiding Ukraine.
Trump, echoing Kremlin rhetoric on the war in Ukraine, said at the end of February the country should "forget" about joining NATO, which the country sees as a security guarantee against a future Russian invasion. Russia has repeatedly presented NATO expansion as a "justification" for the war.
Overlooking the challenges of holding elections in a war zone, Trump on Feb. 19 called Zelensky a "dictator"—a remark he later claimed he did not remember making.
The U.S. also voted alongside Russia on Feb. 24 against a U.N. resolution that condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Chris York
(Updated: )
