Kremlin supporters tout Trump takeover threats as aiding Putin’s expansionist goals
By talking of making Canada the 51st state, “Trump is basically saying, ‘Russians, you can take the Baltics,’” said TV host
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.President-elect Donald Trump has boasted on social media about taking over Greenland, making Canada the 51st state, and wresting control of the Panama Canal.
His expansionist rhetoric has worried allies but elated enemies, with Russians viewing the statements as evidence that Trump isn’t opposed to foreign wars of conquest, as is the Kremlin, despite what he has otherwise stated.
To Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top propagandists, Trump’s statements have revealed that he would blithely invade a country unable to fight back, according to Julia Davis, an observer of Russian media and columnist at The Daily Beast.
The president-elect would expect a victory parade, like after Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea from Ukraine, which Trump called “genius” and “savvy.” Putin tried and failed to take the whole of Ukraine in 2022, with Kremlin insiders believing that Trump only disapproved of the war because it grew in length and cost.
The top Kremlin supporters in Russia believe that Trump can be convinced to back Russia’s expansionist goals if Putin gets a chance to influence him. They’re strongly opposed to the notion of negotiating with Trump’s Ukraine envoy, retired Lieutenant-General Keith Kellogg. The ultimate scenario for them would be to make the Russian invasion of Ukraine appear legitimate, and the recognition of their territorial requirements.
They view Trump’s statements about Greenland, Canada, and Panama as validating Russia’s current and future acquisitions.
Host Dmitry Kiselyov of Vesti Nedeli, or The Weekly News, used part of his Sunday broadcast to outline American expansionism under Trump.
“Trump isn’t joking. He is determined to expand American territorial possessions. Personally, I am convinced that he will succeed,” said Kiselyov, according to a translation by Davis.
“Trump will grab strategically important parts of the world for America ... What is funny is to see whether anyone in the Old World will try to sanction the United States in response to its territorial expansion. This is when we will find out how principled the lovers of sanctions truly are,” he added.
“Think about it. If Trump gets away with all of this, inspired by his success, he might look at the rest of the globe, focus on vulnerable spots, and keep going. Where will he stop? Doesn’t it mean that others can do the same?” Kiselyov asked.
Pundits on The Evening With Vladimir Solovyov spent most of last Thursday’s broadcast celebrating how the world will change under Trump.
“Trump politely announced that the U.S. will be expanding its borders,” Soloyov pointed out, though many in the U.S. would take issue with “politely.”
Andrey Lugovoy is a member of the State Duma and was involved in the lethal poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko.
He noted on the program: “It feels like we spent the last four years in Biden’s madhouse and now we’re gradually transitioning to Trump’s circus,” though he added that it’s unclear if Trump is “joking” when he speaks about Canada, Greenland, and Panama.
“These are awesome statements! No, he is not joking ... of course he isn’t joking!” Solovyov responded. “Do you think I’m kidding when I say that Finland, Warsaw, the Baltics, Moldova, and Tallinn should come back home? Do you think I’m joking? No! They should all rejoin the Russian Empire. Followed by Alaska, by the way. Give it back.”
The “way he is rationalizing it is tremendous. We should follow his example and quietly take everything back,” he added.
Lugovoy indicated how Trump’s takeover threats should embolden Russia’s violent aggression in the Ukraine. “My friends, Trump’s insane statements show that there should not be any ceasefire. Why would we need a ceasefire when we’re confidently moving forward?” Lugovoy asked.
Solyov added: “By taking Canada, Trump is basically saying, ‘Russians, you can take the Baltics.”
He underscored: “I believe that what Trump is doing benefits us greatly. Trump is totally destroying any illusions that anyone might have still had about the summit of democracies, about respecting the opinions of NATO allies.”
Professor Dmitry Evstafiev argued that “with his approach of geographical enlargement” Trump has “buried the entire collective West. There is no collective West, and it will never be united again.”
Military expert Mikhail Khodaryonok said in the wake of Trump’s statements about Canada, Greenland, and Panama, “we can now consider special military operations as the norm for resolving arguments between countries.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments