President Trump has not scared the Russian elite. Last week, he declared himself “disappointed” with Vladimir Putin and imposed a shorter deadline — expiring this Friday — for an end to the war in Ukraine, threatening severe economic punishment if it was missed. In Moscow, no one took it seriously. After weathering more than three years of sanctions, the Kremlin believes it can handle anything thrown at it — that’s if Mr. Trump even follows through, which many in Moscow doubt.
But there’s a deeper reason for the dismissive response. Mr. Putin has, according to Kremlin insiders I talked to, concluded that negotiating with the United States makes no sense and that compromise is pointless. Hostility, not friendship, is the policy. The imminent visit to Moscow of America’s envoy for peace missions, Steve Witkoff, won’t change that. Mr. Trump may have soured on Mr. Putin, but Russia’s president couldn’t care less.
Six months ago, things were very different. When Mr. Trump returned to the presidency, many in Moscow hoped that a thaw in U.S.-Russia relations might be possible. Along with friendly public remarks from both presidents and negotiations in Saudi Arabia, there were other encouraging signs of détente. Russian propagandists refrained from criticizing the new American administration or Mr. Trump personally, apparently under orders from the Kremlin. (President Emmanuel Macron of France became the main target of attacks instead.)
Soon, American businessmen began showing up in Moscow, calling themselves sponsors of Mr. Trump’s campaign. They claimed that sanctions would be lifted and even that the president still dreamed of building a Trump Tower in Moscow. The Russian officials and entrepreneurs I spoke to were wary, but they wanted to believe that peace was possible and that Mr. Trump might persuade Mr. Putin to end the war. It seemed as if the dream of renewed cooperation with America might come true.
It quickly became clear that this was wishful thinking. Everyone now realizes that Mr. Putin has no desire to end the war, which remains his main tool for controlling society. Worse, he has lost faith in the very idea of reaching agreements with the United States. According to the people I talked to, his view is that any American administration, by definition, is temporary — and so any deal with it is meaningless. Mr. Trump is in charge today, but in three years he might not be. Personal rapport means nothing. To Mr. Putin, it is no longer possible to build a working relationship with America.
Kremlin propagandists sense the honeymoon is coming to an end. They’re still avoiding direct attacks on Mr. Trump himself, but they’re going after those around him. Senator Lindsey Graham, in particular, has been singled out as a “Russophobic” extremist, especially after he suggested that Mr. Putin should “call the Ayatollah” to ask what would happen on Day 51 after Mr. Trump’s first ultimatum. On a recent episode of the flagship political talk show on the state-owned Russia-1, the host shouted into the camera: “What are you croaking about? You’ll be destroyed along with your America, and no one will even remember your name.”
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The post Russia’s Rulers Are in for a Nasty Shock appeared first on New York Times.
