Moscow (CNN)After
Donald Trump gave a much-anticipated foreign policy speech Wednesday,
some of the most glowing reviews that he received were from a place that
doesn't often see eye-to-eye with American politicians.
Trump's
speech was more than well-received in Russia. In Moscow's Red Square,
passersby speaking to CNN praised the New York tycoon. And Russian
politicians from President Vladimir Putin on down have been quoted
saying favorable things about the GOP presidential front-runner.
Putin
recently called Trump "a brighter person, talented without a doubt."
Trump returned the compliment saying: "I like him because he called me a
genius. He said Trump is the real leader."
And
in his address in Washington Wednesday, the billionaire businessman
expressed hope about the potential for improvement in American-Russian
relations.
"I
believe an easing of tensions and improved relations with Russia, from a
position of strength only, is possible," Trump said, though he added
that the United States should be willing to walk away from the
negotiating table if Russia is too demanding.
The message is one that is warmly received on the streets of Moscow.
"The
key thing about him is his willingness for a breakthrough in relations
with Russia, maybe they won't get closer but at least there will be a
dialogue," said one man said feet away from the Kremlin.
Another
added, "First of all, Trump is a positive guy and he spoke about Putin
in a good way. He wants positive changes in America."
Many
believe that Trump and Putin would get along well on a personal level
and that alone could help ease tensions between the U.S. and Russia,
which have been building up over the past years.
Fyodor
Lukyanov, the head of the Russian Council on Foreign and Defense
Policy, said he believes Vladimir Putin would like Trump's style.
"He
likes people who are frank, open and who disregard political
correctness. And that is exactly the case with Mr. Trump," Lukyanov told
CNN.
But of course a bromance between political leaders is not enough to improve bilateral relations.
The
U.S and Russia have had massive disagreements over Ukraine in
particular, where America accuses Russia of funding, equipping and
providing combat support to separatist rebels and demands the return of
Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Russia,
for its part, wants sanctions levied against it by the international
community because of its meddling in Ukraine's affairs to be canceled.
When Trump spoke about
improving relations with Russia he didn't mention Ukraine or Crimea.
Top-level Russian politicians have called Trump the most "pragmatic" of
the candidates for the White House.
"He
expresses readiness to come to terms with the Russian President instead
of making conflicts with us, the way today's administration is doing,"
Alexey Pushkov, head of the foreign relations committee of Russian
parliament said, according to the Tass news agency.
So would a Trump presidency really mean better relations between the U.S. and Russia?
Lukyanov doubts it.
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