The Kremlin has issued a notable public endorsement of former US President Donald Trump's recently unveiled national security strategy, describing its core principles as closely aligned with Russia's own vision for global affairs.
A Strategic Endorsement from Moscow
In a statement released on Sunday, 7th December 2025, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov offered a positive assessment of the document. He stated that the strategy's emphasis on what he termed "national-patriotic priorities" and a focus on domestic interests resonated with Moscow's worldview. Peskov framed this as a potential shift away from a US-led unipolar system, suggesting it could pave the way for a more "multipolar" international order—a long-standing foreign policy objective of Vladimir Putin's Russia.
The Russian spokesperson specifically highlighted what he saw as a diminished focus on "liberal globalist ideas" within the strategy. This, from the Kremlin's perspective, represents a departure from the foreign policy approaches of previous US administrations, which Moscow frequently criticised for what it called ideological imposition and interventionism.
Contrasting Reactions and Core US Stances
This warm reception from Moscow stands in stark contrast to the reactions from many of America's traditional allies in Europe. Several European capitals have expressed concern and unease, interpreting the strategy's 'America First' tenor as a potential weakening of transatlantic bonds and collective security structures like NATO.
Despite the Kremlin's characterisation, the Trump strategy document itself maintains a firm stance on several points of direct contention with Russia. It explicitly reaffirms the United States' commitment to the defence of Ukraine, a nation currently engaged in a defensive war against the Russian invasion. Furthermore, the document labels the governments of Russia, China, and Iran as "authoritarian adversaries" of the United States, underscoring a continued posture of strategic competition.
Analysis: A Calculated Diplomatic Move
Analysts suggest the Kremlin's praise is a calculated diplomatic manoeuvre. By publicly applauding elements of the strategy, Moscow aims to drive a wedge between the US and its European partners, amplifying existing anxieties. It also seeks to validate its own narrative that the era of Western hegemony is ending, to be replaced by a world where multiple power centres, including Russia, hold greater sway.
The strategy's publication and the subsequent Russian response come at a critical geopolitical juncture. The conflict in Ukraine remains the most significant flashpoint in East-West relations, and the posture of a future US administration is seen as pivotal to its trajectory. While the Kremlin finds ideological sympathy in the strategy's inward-looking rhetoric, the document's concrete positions on supporting Ukraine and countering authoritarian influence indicate that profound and enduring conflicts of interest will persist.
This episode highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of great power relations, where public statements of alignment on philosophy can coexist with direct and stark opposition on specific issues of security and sovereignty.
