Steve RosenbergRussian editor in Moscow
On paper, there was a lot of Donald Trump’s Kremlin commentary on Lyle.
First of all, his explanation of Russia was described in Ukraine as a “paper tiger” who was “aimed at the goal.”
Moscow will not like it.
President Barack Obama remembers when he described Russia as “regional power” unlike the world. It was considered a great insult here.
President Trump’s proposal suggested that all territory seized by Russia could raise eyebrows in Moscow.
And after Trump’s answer to the reporter’s question, Russian eyebrows will be much higher.
“Do you think the NATO country should shoot down Russian aircraft when it enters the air space?” The reporter asked.
Trump replied.
But the initial reaction of the Kremlin to all of this was somewhat limited.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Vladimir Putin, gently wiped the “paper tiger” insult.
Peskov said to the Russian radio station, “Russia is not a tiger.” “It is more related to the bear. And there is no such thing as a paper bear.”
What suggestions that KYIV can regain lost territory?
The spokesman told reporters, “We make a mistake that Ukraine can beat something through a fight.”
In the Kremlin Conference Call for the reporter, I call Dmitry Peskov a response to Trump’s opinion.
“Russia, in general, Putin, in general, is especially valuable for President Trump’s political will for peace settlement.”
Very diplomatic.
Again, we saw this before.
When Trump posts an unexpected criticism of Russia and Putin, the Kremlin responds to something more calm than we expect.
But why?
Today’s IZVESTIYA newspaper version suggests the first reason.
Izvestiya said, “It is important to remember that Trump was influenced by the last person.”
In other words, Moscow believes that Donald Trump’s view of Ukraine is not set as a stone and can be persuaded to rise to Russian views.
“We will have a chance to convey our position to the United States,” Peskov says. “Foreign Minister Sergrovov can do this. He meets his opponent (Secretary of State Marco Rubio) in New York at the UN General Assembly’s side job.”
There may be another reason that Russia does not feel the need to shout.
President Trump’s opinion, like Russia, had no threat to further sanctions. There is no last long -term for Moscow; There is no deadline to make peace or face the consequences.
Kremlin would have mentioned it.
Also, when I asked the reporter whether he had trusted Vladimir Putin, Trump replied:
“I’ll tell you about a month from now on.”
A month is a long time in war and politics. Kremlin will not be in clogging through such an answer.
But what about the threat to shoot down Russian aircraft?
Kremlin’s reaction: Rejection.
Peskov said, “We are estimated to have violated the rules and someone’s air spaces.”
Trump also drew a terrible problem with the Russian economy.
Kremlin also denied it.
But what is the Russian economic state?
It does not collapse. But it squeaks. Perhaps it’s surprising after a large -scale spending on international sanctions and wars for more than three years.
Russia’s budget deficit is increasing, and income from oil and gas reduction is increasing. Many industries are having difficulty.
Recently, Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refinery have influenced domestic fuel supply. In highly controlled media environments, the Russian newspaper has reported lack of gasoline in some regions.
“Russia is on the verge of a full -fledged fuel crisis,” he said last month Moskovsky Komsomolets.
But there is no signal that economic pressure affects the Kremlin’s calculation of the battlefield.
Currently, President Vladimir Putin seems to have decided to push the Ukrainian war.
It doesn’t matter what Donald Trump says about it.
