Putin’s circle courts Donald Trump: They are trying to please Putin

Moscow’s political elite is sending a series of friendly messages toward US President Donald Trump, presenting proposals for cooperation and adopting language that echoes his conservative agenda.

Friendly overtures

In recent weeks, Putin has publicly complimented Trump several times.

According to The Moscow Times, senior Kremlin allies have gone further, suggesting joint projects in space exploration, Arctic development and rare metal trade.

Bishop Tikhon Shevkunov, regarded as Putin’s spiritual adviser, recently praised American conservatives for their “courage and faith.”

His comments were echoed by Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, who reposted Tikhon’s writings and statements by nationalist theorist Aleksandr Dugin.

Once known as a technocrat, Dmitriev now speaks openly about shared values between Moscow and Washington.

Shared conservative vision

Kremlin insiders are promoting the idea that Putin and Trump share a common worldview rooted in “traditional values.”

Their public statements often criticise liberal movements and the Democratic Party while portraying both presidents as defenders of religion, family and national strength.

According to Ziare.com, the goal is to convince Trump that cooperation with Russia can be framed as a partnership between two conservative powers.

State media in Moscow has repeatedly drawn parallels between Trump’s domestic agenda and Putin’s calls for national sovereignty.

Projects and proposals

Dmitriev and other figures close to the Kremlin have revived earlier proposals for joint ventures, including a tunnel under the Bering Strait linking Russia and the United States.

Similar suggestions have come from Nikolai Patrushev, the former secretary of Russia’s Security Council.

When Trump maintained ties with technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, Kremlin officials such as spokesman Dmitry Peskov and space agency chief Dmitry Bakanov praised Musk and raised the possibility of collaboration in space research.

Echoing Washington

Russian officials have increasingly mirrored Trump’s rhetoric, criticising Democrats and praising conservative commentators in the United States.

When the White House suggested that Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize, Dmitriev said “the world needs peace and security” and that “Biden’s mistakes must be corrected.”

Analysts told Ziare.com that Putin’s team monitors Trump’s public remarks closely, identifying the topics that capture his attention, such as energy, rare metals and Arctic policy, before promoting similar ideas in Russian media.

A message for the Kremlin

Despite appearances, observers say these gestures are aimed more at Putin than at Trump.

By aligning their language with the president’s view of the United States, Russian elites seek to show that they understand and anticipate his priorities.

After the Alaska summit produced few results and the planned Budapest meeting was cancelled, the Kremlin insisted that dialogue with Washington remains active.

When Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov suggested that diplomatic progress had slowed, Dmitriev and Peskov quickly contradicted him.

Uncertain results

Trump has responded positively to Putin’s compliments.

After the Russian president said Trump “has done a lot to resolve complex crises,” the US leader shared the remark online with the message, “Thank you, President Putin.”

Experts quoted by The Moscow Times say this type of exchange is exactly what Moscow’s inner circle hopes to achieve, a visible sign that personal ties between the two leaders remain open.

Still, they warn that Trump’s shifting priorities could quickly reduce the impact of these efforts.

For now, the main goal among Russian elites appears unchanged: to follow Putin’s lead and remain aligned with his expectations.

Sources: The Moscow Times, Ziare.com, Reuters, BBC

This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, who may have used AI in the preparation