Will Putin congratulate Trump? This is what the Kremlin said | World News

The Kremlin issued a cautious statement on Wednesday following Donald Trump's resounding victory in the 2024 US presidential election, saying the leader's “actions” in office will show whether he keeps his “money” on the Ukraine war finish.

The statement comes amid speculation and concerns that Trump's second term in the White House could potentially be disastrous for Kiev. Many Russians in Moscow welcomed Trump's victory and hoped he would make good on his promise. AFP reported.

In particular, Trump had repeatedly promised to end the war between Russia and Ukraine if he came to power in the USA.

Conclusions on concrete steps, word

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump has made some significant statements about the Ukraine war, but only time will tell whether they will actually be put into action. “We will draw conclusions based on concrete steps and concrete words,” he said.

Peskov said it was an “unfriendly country” that was directly and indirectly in a “war against our state.”

The Kremlin spokesman went on to say he knew of “no plans” from President Vladimir Putin to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory, adding that relations with Washington were at an all-time low.

“We have said repeatedly that the United States has the ability to help end this conflict. This cannot happen overnight, but… the US has the ability to change the course of its foreign policy. Will this happen, and if so, how…we will see after (the US presidential inauguration) in January,” Peskov was quoted as saying Reuters.

After Trump's declaration of victory, Russia said its stance toward Ukraine would remain the same regardless of the results. It noted that with a Republican administration in the Oval Office, achieving “all set” goals in Ukraine would be a priority.

“Our conditions remain unchanged and are well known in Washington,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Opportunity for a constructive approach

As the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on, some officials in Moscow view Trump's return as U.S. president as a path that could potentially lead to a diplomatic breakthrough in Kiev.

Leonid Slutsky, a parliamentary foreign policy official, quoted by AFPsaid: “It is possible that there is a chance for a constructive approach.”

Notably, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it had no illusions about Trump, saying there was a bipartisan anti-Russian sentiment among US ruling elites that was trying to contain Russia.

“Russia will cooperate with the new administration as it takes office in the White House, fiercely defending Russia's national interests and focusing on achieving all the objectives of the special military operation (in Ukraine),” the ministry said words quoted.

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Trump's statements on Russia-Ukraine

During his campaign last month, Donald Trump blamed U.S. ally Ukraine for the Russian invasion and argued that President Volodymyr Zelensky had failed in his duty to stop hostilities before they even began.

He also criticized President Joe Biden, accusing him of “inciting” the Ukraine war. The Republican campaign later said it had “clearly spoken about Biden” and not Zelensky.

Trump met with Zelensky in New York in September, where the two leaders reportedly discussed plans to resolve the ongoing war with Russia. “We both want this to end and we both want a fair deal,” Trump told Fox News.

Trump reiterated his intention to end the war between Russia and Ukraine if elected to power in the United States. “We will work intensively with both parties to resolve and resolve the matter,” Trump said. “At some point it has to come to an end, it has to come to an end. He (Zelenskyj) went through hell,” the now-elected president said at the time.