On paper, there was plenty in Donald Trump's comments to rile the Kremlin.
For starters, his description of Russia as a 'paper tiger' that had been 'fighting aimlessly' in Ukraine.
Moscow won't like that.
I remember when President Barack Obama described Russia as a 'regional power', as opposed to a global one: that was taken as a big insult here.
President Trump's suggestion that Ukraine could win back all the territory Russia had seized will also have raised eyebrows in Moscow.
And Russian eyebrows will have shot up even higher after Trump's reply to a reporter's question about NATO's response if Russian aircraft entered their air space.
'Yes, I do,' replied Trump, emphasizing a potentially more aggressive stance.
Yet, the Kremlin's initial response to Trump has been remarkably restrained. Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, gently brushed aside the 'paper tiger' comment by stating that 'Russia's in no way a tiger' and is more associated with a bear.
The suggestion that Kyiv could retake lost territory was dismissed as a 'mistaken assertion'. Peskov stated that 'Russia, in general, and President Putin in particular value highly President Trump's political will to continue working towards a peace settlement.'
This calm reaction reflects an understanding of political context. The Izvestiya newspaper pointed out that Trump is often influenced by his last conversation — in this case, with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Furthermore, Trump's criticisms did not entail new threats or sanctions, factors that the Kremlin likely noted.
On the issue of Russian aircraft, Peskov responded with denial, asserting that claims of airspace violations are 'groundless'.
Concerning economic statements made by Trump, while the Kremlin refuted suggestions of an economic collapse, challenges persist, including a growing budget deficit and struggles in domestic industries due to ongoing sanctions.
Despite these economic pressures, there are no signs that they are influencing Russia’s military strategy, with planned tax increases aimed primarily at financing defense.
As it stands, President Putin remains committed to the war in Ukraine, undeterred by Trump's comments.
