Russia's top military leaders seek to reset relations with the U.S., as Putin remains silent on the matter.

• No immediate plans exist for Russian President Vladimir Putin to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election, according to the Kremlin.
• Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin Press Secretary, reminded reporters that the country we are discussing is hostile and is engaged in a conflict with our state, both directly and indirectly.
• Other senior Russian officials were more open, stating that the predicted victory of Trump could lead to a reset.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans to congratulate Donald Trump on his election win, but senior Russian officials see the Republican victory as a chance for a "reset" in relations.

According to Interfax, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday that he is unaware of the president's plans to congratulate Trump on his election.

He reminded us that we are discussing an unfriendly country that is actively engaged in a war against our state.

Did Putin congratulate Trump on his victory, and if not, would it worsen relations between Russia and the U.S.?

President Putin has repeatedly expressed his willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with the next U.S. leadership, based on justice, equality, and mutual consideration of each other's concerns. However, relations are currently at their lowest point in history, and it is difficult to make things worse.

The U.S. administration is currently at odds with itself. We will find out what happens in January, he said.

After Trump declared victory in the presidential election early Wednesday, the Kremlin responded, as he was on track to secure the full 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House and become the 47th president of the United States, with NBC News projecting him as president-elect.

Moscow views Trump's victory as a positive outcome because it anticipates that his administration will prioritize American interests and potentially reduce military aid to Ukraine, which could lead to peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

This morning, Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Donald Trump on his apparent victory in the American vote, despite the fact that it's viewed as a negative outcome for Kyiv in terms of military aid and territorial integrity.

During Trump's presidency from 2017 to 2021, Putin and the former U.S. president appeared to have a friendly relationship. However, their relationship became controversial after accusations emerged that Trump's campaign team had colluded with Russia, which was accused of interfering in the 2016 election.

Despite denials of collusion and obstruction of justice, a probe found no evidence of criminal collusion with Russia and no conclusion about Trump's obstruction of justice.

In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Russia attempted to minimize its involvement in the vote, particularly in a victory for Trump, who was predicted to be Moscow's preferred candidate.

In February, Putin stated that he preferred Joe Biden, who was running for re-election as the Democratic Party's candidate, to be the next US president, characterizing him as a more seasoned and dependable politician.

In June, Putin characterized Biden as an "old-school politician" while downplaying his support for Trump's campaign, stating that Russia had never had any special ties with Trump and that as president, Biden imposed massive sanctions on Russia and withdrew from the treaty on intermediate and shorter-range missiles.

Warming up to Trump

Russian officials have expressed hope that Trump's election win could lead to a reset of relations between Washington and Moscow.

Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian President and known Russian hawk, stated that Trump is likely to reduce military funding for Ukraine, which is crucial for Kyiv to defend against Russia's invasion.

"As a businessman, Trump detests spending money on unnecessary expenses and freeloaders," Medvedev wrote in a Google-translated update on Telegram. "The issue is how much they will compel Trump to contribute for the war."

The system is stronger than his stubbornness, as noted by Medvedev, the Russian Security Council's deputy chairman.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, commended Trump and his team for their strength and resilience in winning the presidency and gaining control of the U.S. Congress and Senate, despite a large-scale disinformation campaign directed against them.

He presented no evidence to back up his claim.

Dmitriev stated that the convincing victory of the Biden administration demonstrates that ordinary Americans are weary of the unprecedented lies, incompetence, and malice of the Biden administration. This presents new prospects for restoring relations between Russia and the United States.

A lawmaker from the ruling United Russia party, who supports President Putin, expressed hope that Russia-U.S. relations could improve under Trump, according to RIA Novosti.

It is crucial to remember that any American president prioritizes serving their country above all else when discussing Trump's victory. The White House will not prioritize the interests of other countries, such as Russia, in their decision-making process. While we can hope for a slight improvement in relations with the United States, it is unlikely to be significant.