Donald Trump is a “Soviet leaders’ dream” thanks to the actions he has taken on Ukraine since entering the White House, according to a leading Russian scholar. Writing in Argumenty I Fakty, a weekly Russian newspaper, the scholar praised the actions of the US President as he is “driving a wedge” between the United States and “the European part of NATO". The reports were translated and shared by BBC Russia Editor Steven Rosenberg.

Following Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia was largely ostracised by the international community. However, the new US administration under Donald Trump has softened its stance on the country, with Trump and Putin having spoken on the phone and senior members from each country having met in neutral countries. Concurrently, the United States has taken a hard line with Ukraine, briefly pausing military aid and intelligence as well as urging the country’s leadership to find a way to end the conflict, while admitting that it will likely have to relinquish land that belonged to it before the war.

On several occasions, the US President has used language that is reminiscent of that heard in Moscow, as he labelled Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator” and accused the country of starting the war.

The newspaper referenced a recent meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin as further proof that the aims of the two countries were becoming more aligned.

It said: “Relations between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, which seemed to have improved a little, have once again descended into arguments and mutual insults.

“What is more, there is a paradoxical situation. Moscow and the US administration find themselves together in their standoff with Trump’s opponents in America and Europe.”

Another media outlet, daily newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets went one step further, describing the actions of the US President as “destroying the world created by American liberals.”

Russian senator Alexei Pushkov wrote in another newspaper: “None of the steps Trump has taken threatens Russia’s interests directly.

“I don’t think that we will perish under the rubble of the old world order that is collapsing, quite the opposite.”

Donald Trump promised throughout his election campaign to end the war in Ukraine on day one of his second term, but it remains to be seen how and when he will be able to do that.

Many believe that the only way to compel an end to the war is for the United States to hinder Ukraine’s ability to continue to fight on, with the country heavily reliant on American military and financial backing.

Andrew Fox an academic and former Parachute Regiment officer believes that the US administration’s actions are favourable to Russia and make the world a more dangerous place.

He said: “Abandoning Ukraine, a country that’s mid-war after being invaded by Russia, suffered mass abuse of civilians, continues to fight an Iranian and Chinese ally even with the bare minimum of arms supply to stay in the fight… And Trump backs Russia?

“In doing so makes war in other parts of Eastern Europe and Asia far more likely.”