Russia Rejoices Over Trump-Putin Talks But Unsure About Extent Of Cooperation

Hints of Moscow wanting talks on Ukraine to develop into broader global collaboration

- Jonathan Eyal

LONDON - Russia's leaders and the country's state-controlled media outlets are rejoicing at the news that US President Donald Trump has agreed to talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

What pleases Russian decision-makers most is that Mr. Trump accepted Moscow's longstanding offer to negotiate about Ukraine without the involvement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"US policy has literally crushed Zelensky's supporters, who were unable to convince the new US administration of Ukraine's usefulness," a presenter of Russian state TV gleefully noted immediately after details of the lengthy Feb 12 phone conversation between the US and Russian leaders became public.

Yet behind this celebratory mood, Moscow is apprehensive about the format of negotiations with the US.

The Russians are also uncertain whether these talks could be a prelude to a broader accommodation between the two powers, rather than remaining confined to the Ukraine crisis.

Throughout the recent US electoral campaign, Russia had made no secret of its support for Mr. Trump.

Media networks in Russia often amplified his campaign messages.

And Mr. Putin publicly repeated claims by Mr. Trump that the 2020 US election - which Mr. Trump lost - was "stolen".

However, once Mr. Trump won the vote in November 2024, Moscow adopted a policy of circumspection.

Russian officials were not quite sure what to expect from the US administration.

These doubts intensified when Mr. Trump returned to the White House, with the officials seemingly convinced that the US would not offer Moscow any concessions to get the Russians to the negotiating table.

Influential Russian analyst Alexander Baunov neatly summed up Moscow's ambivalence when he remarked soon after Mr. Trump's January inauguration that major concessions between Russia and the US were unlikely, as both leaders were keen on their image of "strength".