Russia’s top leaders are closely following the U.S. presidential race, quietly backing Donald Trump as their preferred candidate, according to sources within the Kremlin, government, Foreign Ministry, and business circles, as reported by The Moscow Times.
Officials are hopeful that Trump—whose 2016 win sparked allegations of Russian interference—could unseat President Joe Biden, a staunch ally of Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, sources cited recent debate performances, particularly Biden’s, as a reason for renewed optimism among Kremlin officials. Despite this enthusiasm, Russian consultants have warned that Trump’s return could pose unforeseen challenges for Moscow.
“The Kremlin is cheering for Trump and was pleased with the debate,” said an insider close to Kremlin leadership. Several officials echoed this sentiment, with one calling Trump’s potential victory a “favorable prospect” for Russia.
While the Kremlin publicly downplays the election’s significance, internally, Russian officials and diplomats are analyzing every development. Former diplomat Boris Bondarev, who resigned in protest over the Ukraine invasion, explained, “The transparency of U.S. politics offers a wealth of information for analysis.” President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia is ready to work with any U.S. leader, although some see his occasional support for Biden as a tactic to damage the current administration in the U.S.
Russian state media has seized on the election coverage, especially Biden’s perceived missteps, with pro-Kremlin hosts dedicating extensive airtime to the recent debate. The state-run RIA Novosti criticized Biden’s performance, claiming that even Democrats were disappointed. Russian media coverage frequently emphasizes U.S. political tensions to cast doubt on the American electoral system.
Ultimately, sources within the Kremlin suggest Putin would find it psychologically easier to engage with Trump, who hasn’t publicly criticized him to the same extent as Biden.
Trump’s willingness to negotiate with Russia and seek compromise, according to experts like Dmitry Suslov from the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, is seen as a major advantage for Moscow over Biden’s more rigid stance.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
