Putin thinks Trump will defer to his interests without demanding any concessions from Moscow - ISW

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin appears to be assuming that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will defer to the Kremlin's interests and preferences without the Kremlin offering any concessions or benefits in return.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank said this in a new report, according to Ukrinform.

Putin stated during his November 7 Valdai Club address that he is "open" to discussions meant to "restore" U.S.-Russia relations but that the United States must initiate these negotiations, and implied that Russia will only consider a reset in U.S.-Russia relations if the United States drops sanctions against Russia and ceases supporting Ukraine – terms that exclusively benefit Russia and offer no benefit to the United States, the ISW report said.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted on November 8 that Putin's statement about negotiating with the United States does not mean that Russia's military goals in Ukraine have changed and that instead, Russia's goals remain the same.

"Putin may be attempting to posture himself as reaching out to Trump, but Putin is signaling to his domestic audiences that the Kremlin is unwilling to concede any aspect of its maximalist objectives in Ukraine or the wider global arena," ISW analysts said.

ISW also analyzed Putin's statements regarding the "new world order" that emphasizes an interconnected international system without great powers or security blocs. However, the Kremlin's actions contradict and undermine his proposed ideals and principles, analysts said.

According to the concept proposed by Putin, the "new world order" should be based on an openness among states to interact with each other; the absence of universal dogmas; an accounting for all countries' perspectives when making global decisions; the rejection of security blocs that unite groups of states; "justice for all," including eradicating xenophobia and intolerance; and the "sovereign equality" of all states.

"Putin's proposal ignores the Kremlin's ongoing efforts to increase its power and influence in neighboring countries, including destabilization efforts in Moldova and Georgia; courting a group of anti-Western states such as North Korea, the People's Republic of China (PRC), and Iran; and conducting its illegal and unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine," the report said.

According to ISW analysts, the Kremlin likely aims to use this rhetoric to distract from and provide plausible deniability against the very real Russian efforts to undermine pro-Western governments and exert its influence internationally, as well as promote the expansion of BRICS and the so-called "new Eurasian security architecture" that the Kremlin has created to oppose NATO.