In 2016, when Donald Trump first won the U.S. presidency, lawmakers in Russia’s State Duma celebrated with thunderous applause. The late Vladimir Zhirinovsky, ultranationalist leader of the country’s misleadingly named Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), even hosted a banquet to mark the occasion. “To new U.S. domestic and foreign policies and better relations with Russia,” he declared, raising a plastic cup of champagne.
Back then, Russian propaganda dubbed Trump “our man in the White House.” Today, there will be no celebration for his latest victory, as he failed to meet “expectations” during his previous term, State Duma MPs told The Insider. Nevertheless, just as they did eight years ago, Russian legislators continue to express hope that relations between Moscow and Washington will improve.
Here’s what three Russian MPs had to say about Donald Trump returning to the White House.
Andrei Lugovoy
“I couldn't care less about Trump's victory because American elections do not interest me in the least; I don't expect any major changes in U.S.-Russia relations from these elections. In 2016, no one in the Duma truly rejoiced over Trump's win; we laughed at [Hillary] Clinton's defeat. Just as I now enjoy watching Biden lose. And that foolish woman Harris — have you heard her? She can't string two words together, always speaking from a prompter. But why should we congratulate Trump on his victory? The U.S. supplies weapons to Ukraine, and we're supposed to celebrate them?
If Trump has any sense, he will of course call Putin. Relations must be restored. We are two great nuclear powers, and there should always be relations [between us]. How these elections will affect U.S.-Russia relations — time will tell.”
Lugovoy, a former Russian FSB officer and current State Duma MP, has been implicated in the 2006 murder of Alexander Litvinenko, a former FSB agent and critic of the Russian government. Litvinenko was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 in London, leading to his death three weeks later.
A UK public inquiry in 2016 concluded that Lugovoy and another Russian, Dmitry Kovtun, were responsible for administering the fatal dose of polonium to Litvinenko, likely in a cup of tea during a meeting at a London hotel. The inquiry further suggested that the murder was carried out under the approval of the Russian state, with potential authorization by then-FSB director Nikolai Patrushev and possibly President Vladimir Putin. Lugovoy has consistently denied any involvement in Litvinenko's death, dismissing the accusations as politically motivated.
Anatoly Aksakov
“We have already seen all the negative aspects concerning our country, so we did not expect anything good from [Trump]. Nor from his team. But at least Trump promised to fight for peace and spoke respectfully about Russia. Therefore, we hope that reason will prevail. At the very least, it is an opportunity for him to go down in history as a person working for global peace. And to achieve that, friendship with Russia is necessary.
This time, there will be no celebration in the State Duma for Trump's victory because he did not live up to the trust of Russian politicians during his previous term. However, we hope that the four years since Trump’s last term were not wasted. We see what is happening in the world and how America is losing ground due to the policies pursued by Biden, which are undermining American strength — like with the dollar. I hope that Trump has reflected on this and will take it into account in his actions.
Trump promised to call Putin, so he will. If he promised, he must follow through. I hope these elections will have a positive impact on Russia-U.S. relations because, as I said, recent actions by the United States have undermined the foundations of its power and development. I hope that reason prevails and leads to a change of course away from a dead end. There should be a reassessment of Biden’s actions over recent years to avoid undermining [America’s] own stability. This includes financial, economic, and diplomatic policies. If the U.S. continues a policy of pressure and influence over other countries, including political influence, it will lead nowhere. The best course for the United States now is to use its advantages to build normal economic and political relations with the entire world.
Trump promised to end [the war] with Ukraine, but that is difficult now because Ukraine has gone too far. It was possible when Putin proposed in 2022 to develop Ukraine as a peaceful, neutral state without any armed formations. But Zelensky did not listen. I believe the best way to end this is to force Zelensky to withdraw his troops and stop seeking new weapons, accepting all the conditions proposed by Putin. That is the only way to end it in 24 hours.
All sanctions [against Russia] should be lifted. They are foolish. The first step must be to lift them and establish a normal negotiation process. How can negotiations take place while sanctions are in effect? A reasonable person should take some sensible steps first, and only then can negotiations happen. If no steps are taken, then trust in such a person is not warranted.”
Yaroslav Nilov
“Trump is the president of another country. The American people have made their choice. Of course, I observed the developments [in the run-up to the election], but it became clear to me that he would win after the assassination attempt, when a bullet grazed his ear. The last time Trump won, LDPR leader [Vladimir] Zhirinovsky hosted a banquet. Zhirinovsky was pleased because he had predicted Trump's victory when few believed he would win. Additionally, given that Zhirinovsky personally knew Trump and met with him during a business trip to America, that also contributed to his enthusiasm.
Naturally, expectations were one thing, but, objectively, some disappointment followed. Unfortunately, Zhirinovsky is no longer with us. In terms of expectations now, the general sentiment is that significant changes are unlikely. Still, I believe Trump’s victory brings a certain level of hope and optimism, primarily because he is a businessman and a pragmatist who understands the need to prioritize personal interests and value every ruble invested. This is why he made statements about the situation in Ukraine and offered public guarantees. However, only time will tell. Here, we must rely on ourselves and continue along our own path. We are forging our own way.
There are currently some notes of optimism for establishing a different format of dialogue between Russia and the U.S., at least during the election campaign. But what will happen after the inauguration? And when his team starts working? We must not forget that internally, there will still be many challenges, as Trump’s political opponents and their supporters have made numerous accusations against him.”