In 2016, Russian ultranationalists and politicians celebrated Donald Trump’s unexpected victory with bottles of champagne, convinced his presidency would usher in a new era of US-Russia relations. Politicians like Vladimir Zhirinovsky partied in the halls of Moscow’s parliament, and media figures even drove around with American flags, anticipating the lifting of sanctions and international recognition of Crimea’s annexation.
However, reality quickly dampened the celebrations. Far from easing tensions, Trump’s administration introduced some of the harshest sanctions yet against Russia, leaving Moscow disappointed by the outcome of his presidency. Now, with another US election approaching, Russia is more cautious in its optimism, wary of a repeat of dashed hopes.
While Russian state media continues to criticize Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, President Vladimir Putin’s public “endorsement” of her candidacy was widely seen as Kremlin trolling. Behind the scenes, Trump’s comments questioning the scale of US military aid to Ukraine and his reluctance to fully condemn Russia’s invasion have drawn Putin’s attention once again.
Still, the Kremlin remains guarded. As Russia navigates a war in Ukraine and increasingly strained relations with the US under Joe Biden, some in Moscow hope for Trump’s return to the White House, but they are wary of repeating the champagne-fueled exuberance of 2016.
