--- title: "Kremlin Interprets Trump-Zelenskyy Conflict as Its Own Victory and Seeks Rapprochement with US" description: "The Kremlin interprets the worsening relations between Trump and Zelenskyy as a weakening of support for Kyiv and views it as a reason to pressure Ukraine and draw closer to the US." date: 2026-10-21T00:12:22.429Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kremlin-interprets-trump-zelenskyy-conflict-as-victory tags: [kremlin, trump, zelensky, us-russia, ukraine-war, sanctions] author: "Alexander Buran, Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Kremlin Interprets Trump-Zelenskyy Conflict as Its Own Victory and Seeks Rapprochement with US ![Vladimir Putin thoughtfully listening during an official meeting](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/21/kreml-schitaet-konflikt-trampa-i-zelenskogo-sobstvennoy-pobedoy/kreml-schitaet-konflikt-trampa-i-zelenskogo-sobstvennoy-pobedoy-1.webp) ## Key Points - The Kremlin assesses the Trump-Zelenskyy conflict as a weakening of Western support for Kyiv and considers it its victory - Moscow expects to use the situation to pressure Ukraine on the Donbas and expand cooperation with the US - After Trump's conversation with Putin, the US eased restrictions on Russian diesel and suspended new sanctions, which Moscow welcomed - The Kremlin announces negotiations with the US on the Arctic, energy, and liquefied natural gas production In the Kremlin, the deterioration of relations between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy is viewed as a sign of weakening Western support for Kyiv, which Moscow assesses as a diplomatic victory. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a publication by The Washington Post. According to the publication, the Russian leadership is counting not only on increasing pressure on the Ukrainian side, but also on using the current configuration to extract concessions, primarily regarding the Donbas, as well as to expand cooperation with Washington. ### How Moscow Reads Signals from Washington Citing The Wall Street Journal, the publication notes that within about ten days after Donald Trump's phone call with Vladimir Putin, the US administration took several steps that Moscow perceived as favorable to itself. In particular, Trump announced the easing of restrictions on the supply of Russian diesel fuel to the global market, suspended the introduction of new large-scale sanctions against Russia, and increased pressure on Kyiv. Simultaneously, according to the same data, Ukraine faced restrictions on access to a number of satellite systems and delays in the supply of interceptor missiles. On October 19, the US president again criticized Zelenskyy, stating that it was time for another person to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine. ### "Checkmate": Kremlin's Reaction to Zelenskyy Criticism Moscow reacted sharply to these statements. Kremlin Special Representative Kirill Dmitriev commented on Trump's words with the message "Checkmate." Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, in turn, stated that the Ukrainian authorities, in his words, are experiencing "the final signs of agony," and Kyiv's resistance cannot change the course of events. These statements, as noted by The Washington Post's sources, reflect the general line of the Kremlin, which perceives public disagreements between Washington and Kyiv as confirmation of its position. ### Economic Partnership as the Next Step Russian officials, according to the publication, view changes in US policy not only as a tool of pressure on Ukraine, but also as a prerequisite for a broader economic partnership with Washington. Kirill Dmitriev stated that the parties are discussing a number of economic and investment projects, naming the Arctic, energy, and liquefied natural gas production among possible directions. The Kremlin also positively reacted to Trump's decision not to impose harsh sanctions provided for by the legislative initiative associated with Senator Lindsey Graham. ### What Lies Behind the Political Effect At the same time, as The Washington Post's sources note, the agreement on Russian diesel fuel itself is unlikely to have a significant impact on American fuel prices, as it concerns relatively small supply volumes. For Moscow, according to the same sources, the political effect is more important than the economic one — the deepening of disagreements between Washington and Kyiv, which the Kremlin uses as an argument in favor of its own diplomatic line and as a basis for demands for concessions from Ukraine. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Кремль считает собственной победой конфликт Трампа с Зеленским и ожидает сближения с США](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/kreml-vvazhae-vlasnoyu-peremogoyu-konflikt-1792540957.html) - Primary source: RBC-Ukraine citing The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. Kremlin statements (Dmitriev, Peskov) are presented as the Russian side's positions; US steps on diesel and sanctions are confirmed by two Western publications; details on satellite systems and interceptor missiles are from single sources. ## FAQ ### How does the Kremlin assess the conflict between Trump and Zelenskyy? The Kremlin believes that the deterioration of relations between the leaders of the US and Ukraine indicates a weakening of Western support for Kyiv, which the Russian side assesses as a diplomatic victory. ### What steps by the US administration did Moscow perceive as favorable? According to The Wall Street Journal, after Trump's phone call with Putin, the US eased restrictions on the supply of Russian diesel fuel, suspended new large-scale sanctions against Russia, and increased pressure on Kyiv. ### What did Kirill Dmitriev state regarding Trump's criticism of Zelenskyy? Kremlin Special Representative Kirill Dmitriev commented on Trump's words about the need for another negotiator from Ukraine with the message "Checkmate." ### In which areas, according to Dmitriev, are Russia and USA discussing cooperation? Kirill Dmitriev named the Arctic, energy, and liquefied natural gas production as possible areas of economic and investment cooperation.