Russians React to Trump’s Peace Overtures With Cautious Optimism

Many Russians view Trump as a strong leader, but they also regard him as unpredictable, according to one analyst.

Daily newspapers with covers, dedicated to the recent phone call of Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, are laid out at a newsstand in a street in Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 13, 2025. Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January vowing to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has just entered its fourth year.

The administration has already made considerable progress to this end, pursuing a relatively friendly approach to Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin.