Many Russians see Trump as a strong leader, but according to one analyst, they see him as unpredictable.
President Donald Trump returned to the White House last month and vowed to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The administration has already made considerable progress in this objective, pursuing a relatively friendly approach to Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On the same day, US and Russian officials met in Istanbul, where they agreed to various measures aimed at normalizing relations after years of hostility.
Two weeks ago, Putin and Trump held a groundbreaking phone conversation, the latter being described as “long and productive.”
The next day, Trump asked for readmission to Russia’s G7 (formerly G8) group. From there, Moscow retreated in 2017 after being suspended three years ago.
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“I want to get them back,” Trump told reporters. “I think it was a mistake to abandon them.”
Sergei Shog, head of the Russian Security Council, described Trump’s reconciliatory approach to Moscow as nothing more than a “revolutionary.”
According to Russian political analyst Stanislav Alexandrovich Prichin, the shoemaker’s careful optimism is largely in line with Russian public opinion.
“There was high hopes (in Russia) that bilateral relations would develop positively during Trump’s first terminology,” Prichin told the Epoch Times.
“But this didn’t happen,” he said.
“For this reason, Russian public opinion is still divided into Trump,” added Pritin, who heads the Central Asian Desk at Moscow’s Institute for Global Economy and International Relations.
Ferit Temur, a Turkish political analyst specializing in the Eurasian issue, said the public’s perception of Trump in Russia was “generally positive.”
Temur, who has studied and worked in both Russia and Ukraine, told the Epoch Times: “There is hope that Trump’s approach will be effective in finding solutions to the Ukrainian problem.”
On February 18, US and Russian officials (including top diplomats from both countries) served in consultations for the first round in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, to discuss possible measures to end the conflict.
Since then, both sides have repeatedly said that preparations for a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Trump are underway.
“The first stages of negotiations in Riyadh and Trump’s positive statements against Russia have been well received by the Russian public,” Prichin said.
“They have created the basis for optimism regarding future consultations and potential resolutions for the Ukrainian crisis,” he added.
However, Pritchin also argued that both sides continue to have “different visions” regarding “specific aspects of international relations.”
“Therefore, some Russians, especially experts, are not entirely certain that these moves (by the Trump administration) will lead to a full recovery of the tie,” he added.
(L – R) The Palace of Foreign Minister Mamako February 18, 2025, the Palace of the Foreign Minister’s Diplomat Mamako February 18, 2025, the Palace of the US Middle Eastern Envoy Steve Witkov, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Fahan Al Saud, National Security Advisor, Mozad bin Mohammad al Ivan, and Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of Russia You Woolly. Evelyn Hockstein/AFP via Getty Images
I’m facing reality
In February 2022, Russia invaded and effectively annexed four regions of eastern Ukraine after a referendum.
According to Moscow, “special military operations” in Ukraine were aimed at protecting ethnic Russians and halting the further Eastern expansion of NATO.
Moscow also claims that the 2014 “Maidan” uprising, which swept Ukrainian pro-Russia president out of power, was a “coup” made up of the United States known as the “Color Revolution.”
The Russian conditions to end the current conflict include the withdrawal of all Ukrainian troops from the four regions Russia claims (Donetsk, Luhansk, Harson and Zapolizia), ensuring that Ukraine will not join NATO.
On February 26, Trump said he will “work hard” in future talks with Russia to ensure that Ukraine “recovers as much of its territory as possible.”
But earlier statements have confirmed that members of Trump’s foreign policy team must consider future reconciliation to the “reality” of the battlefield.
Shortly before Trump’s inauguration, his national security adviser, Mike Waltz, told ABC News:
According to the Waltz, Trump “accepted that reality.”
Since returning to the office, Trump has issued numerous statements suggesting that Moscow’s concerns about the expansion of NATO have been justified.
“For a long time, they have said that Ukraine cannot go to NATO,” he added. “And I’m fine with that.”
On February 26, Trump went further, saying Ukraine could “forget” the Western Alliance.
Pritin explained that Trump acknowledged Russia’s security concerns.
“But he said, “There are certain European leaders who lack this understanding and continue to pursue policies that threaten Russia.”
“Even if it is better understood between Russia and the US, it will be difficult to reach a compromise with this Russian-EU-US triangle,” he added.
“Because of this, I remain skeptical of the short-term outlook to establish a stable security architecture in Europe,” Plitchin said.
According to Temur, recent differences between the Trump administration and traditional Washington allies in Europe could provide Russia with the opportunity to “maximise regional and global interests.”
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Voldymi Zelensky meet to argue at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on February 28, 2025. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Strong but impulsive
While Russians see Trump as a powerful leader, the US president is perceived by many as rash and impulsive, Pritin said.
“He is seen as a strong leader with the ability to make difficult decisions,” Pritchin said. “But he’s not consistent or systematic.”
“He is impulsive and can easily change his mind. It creates an atmosphere of unpredictability,” he added. “That’s why expectations among the Russian people are being followed.”
Pritin cited Trump’s relationship with Ukrainian leader Voldymir Zelensky as an example of the US president’s appearance contradiction.
In a social media post on February 19, Trump described Zelensky, whose presidential term expired last year, as Zelensky later called on Kiev to hold a new election.
Zelensky suggests that Trump was fooled by Russian “disinformation.”
According to Pritin, many Russians were satisfied by Trump’s characterization of Ukrainian leaders as “dictators.”
Moscow “consistently emphasized that it is impossible to sign a contract with him as he is not a legal president,” he said.
“But here we see another reversal by Trump. Trump has just returned his previous statement about Zelensky,” Plitchin said.
At a February 27 joint press conference with British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer, Trump was asked by reporters whether he viewed Zelensky as a “dictator.”
The next day, Zelensky met Trump at the White House and signed an agreement to jointly develop the mineral resources of the United States and Ukraine.
However, the deal was overshadowed by a dramatic and very public universe in which Zelensky openly challenged Trump’s recent overture to Moscow and Putin.
Trump denounced the Ukrainian leader for “gambling with World War I” and warned that if Kiev refused to compromise for peace, he could risk confiscating US support.
Reuters contributed to this report.
