**Putin Congratulates Trump, Kremlin Officials Show Caution**
Russian President Vladimir Putin was quick to congratulate his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, on the day of Trump’s inauguration. In a call with Russia’s National Security Council, Putin said that Russia is “open to dialogue” on the conflict in Ukraine.
However, Russian officials were cautious in their reactions. Some parliamentarians said they don’t know what Trump thinks about the war in Ukraine, and improving relations between the two countries will be difficult.
**Propaganda Turns to Zelensky, Spreads Conspiracy Theories**
Meanwhile, Kremlin pundits blamed Ukraine for everything. They claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was trying to undermine Russia’s interests and that the U.S. government had been promoting non-binary identities under Joe Biden.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova welcomed Trump’s executive order on recognizing only two genders, saying it was a step in the right direction.
**Analysts Believe Lifting Sanctions is Possible**
Some Russian analysts believe that lifting sanctions against Russia could be possible with Trump as president. They see his presidency as a competition between “Trumpists” and “globalists,” but argue that both sides are fighting for Western domination.
With regards to Ukraine, one analyst said that Trump’s presidency won’t change much because the new president will not leave Europe.
**Mixed Reactions in Moscow**
Despite some optimism in Moscow, reactions to Trump’s inauguration were mixed. While some welcomed his presidency, others criticized him for saying that Putin is “destroying Russia” by failing to reach a peace deal with Ukraine.