Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov on Sunday endorsed the new U.S. National Security Strategy, saying it largely aligns with the Russian view of the world.
Praise from the Kremlin
The public acknowledgement by Moscow of the convergence of positions between former Cold War foes underlines how much closer their relations have become since Trump returned to power earlier this year.
The adjustments we see, I would say, largely align with our view, and perhaps we can hope that this may be a modest guarantee that we will be able to constructively continue our joint work on finding a peaceful settlement in Ukraine
– Dmitry Peskov, Putin's press secretary
In an interview with local media, Peskov said the Trump administration is fundamentally different from previous U.S. governments, and that the president can change the country's foreign-policy orientation because he is "strong."
What appealed to Moscow
The strategy was published on December 4. The document envisages nothing less than a reshaping of the geopolitical order and echoes the tenets of the racist "Great Replacement" theory, asserting that Europe faces "civilizational erasure," in part due to migration.
The U.S., which has been a global interventionist force since the end of World War II, is shifting its focus to the Western Hemisphere. Peskov noted an important detail: the document does not name Russia as an adversary, unlike previous versions.
The strategy also calls into question the reliability of some European countries as long-term members of NATO. The alliance was created by the U.S. and European nations to counter the expansionist Soviet Union in the late 1940s.
NATO and expansion
The document outlines Washington's intention to focus on "ending the perception of — and preventing the reality of — NATO as an alliance that is continually expanding."
Peskov cautiously welcomed this aspect of the plan, calling it "pleasant on one hand." He added:
On the other hand, we know that sometimes, when everything is conceptually beautifully written, the so‑called deep state does things differently. That also happens
– Dmitry Peskov
The so‑called deep state is a rhetorical enemy for Trump and his allies, as well as others, including European countries. It can refer both to slow bureaucracy that hinders elected politicians from implementing changes and to conspiracy theories about elites that allegedly control governments from the shadows.
Europe's reaction
Valerie Aye, head of the centrist Renew group in the European Parliament, called the document "unacceptable and dangerous." German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful said that Europe does not need "advice from outside," but called the U.S. "our most important ally in the alliance."
Context
Critics of NATO often point to the postwar eastward expansion of the alliance as a provocation to Moscow. Whether Kyiv can also join NATO after the end of Russia's war against Ukraine remains a key point of disagreement in ceasefire negotiations.
The alliance, which Trump has publicly undermined repeatedly, is vying for influence in U.S. mediation of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The Kremlin's approval of the new American strategy raises concerns about the future of transatlantic relations and European security.
