Russia's favorite arch-conservative. Russia Insider
Wall Street Journal: How the Kremlin Sees Trump’s Re-Reset With Moscow
‘We consider Trump the American Putin,’ says a leading Russian thinker—meaning ‘a conservative nationalist’ and a ‘realist.’
Donald Trump on Monday took one of his first truly important calls as America’s next commander in chief, and Vladimir Putin was on the other end. Mr. Trump told the Russian supreme leader that he seeks a “strong and enduring relationship” with Moscow, per the Kremlin readout. His promised re-reset with Moscow is on track.
Rapprochement starts in Syria, where the president-elect has welcomed U.S.-Russian cooperation against Islamic State. That’s not a departure from current policy, contrary to hysteria on the left. Mr. Trump didn’t forge the de facto alliance with Moscow in Syria; his predecessor did. But to avoid the missteps of the last reset, Mr. Trump would do well to understand the ideological vision that shapes Kremlin strategy.
There is perhaps no better guide to Russian thinking today than the philosopher Alexander Dugin. One of the main “ideologists” behind Moscow’s aggressive foreign policy, Mr. Dugin is an influential intellectual with ties to the Kremlin. He has argued vociferously in favor of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and the U.S. Treasury sanctioned him last year over his alleged role in “violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
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WNU Editor: On many issues Trump is definitely no Putin .... and Kremlin insiders will be making a mistake if they assume he is. I call this wishful thinking in Moscow .... and how Russians try to understand the world by using their own context and experiences to explain it .... and being optimistic while doing it. As for Alexander Dugin .... he is telling his friends in the Kremlin what they want to hear.... and they are listening. That is why they are going to be disappointed when they learn that a President Donald Trump does not have the same power that Russian President Putin has .... and that he cannot (or will not) deliver on what they want. To prepare everyone for this I have been telling everyone that I know in Russia that now is the time to lower expectations when it comes to the U.S. President-elect .... but sadly (and not surprising) .... no one is listening to me.
