According to CNN, Russia is celebrating Trump’s criticism of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and promoting the restoration of ties with the U.S. The article analyzes why the American president is currently seeking to warm relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. What lies behind Trump’s policy shift toward Russia and specifically Putin? Why does he seem, amidst numerous open fronts, to be ‘turning a blind eye’ to the Russian leader? Statements made in front of dozens of global media outlets from the Oval Office represent one of the darkest pages not only in American history but the entire West. Experienced diplomatic observers suggest that the fierce attack launched by the American president against his Ukrainian counterpart was a premeditated trap set by the Trump administration. A trap aimed at discrediting the Ukrainian president and removing him as an obstacle to what is coming next, reports the American network. However, despite the question of whether the heated incident at the White House was staged or not, the only certainty was that it greatly pleased Moscow, which awaits continuation if not acceleration of upcoming weeks’ talks aimed at warming US-Russia relations. Behind closed doors, discussions are already underway regarding potentially profitable Russian-American economic agreements. Following initial exploratory contacts in February between the two sides involving US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, preparations are underway for another round soon, possibly again in a Gulf state. Meanwhile, according to German newspaper Bild and Financial Times, secret talks are ongoing between US and Russian delegations to revive involvement with American investors and participation in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project revenues. Kirill Dmitriev, former Goldman Sachs banker educated in the U.S., said cooperation between Russia and the U.S. could include agreements in the energy sector, calling Washington and Moscow to focus on investments, economic growth, AI, and long-term scientific projects like Mars exploration. Beyond risks, there are economic incentives for US businesses with Russia, which holds the world’s fourth-largest reserves of rare earth elements, far more than Ukraine. Trump’s business acumen overrides Biden’s rhetoric, leading some to believe efforts to defeat Russia have collapsed. By approaching the Kremlin, the Trump administration risks alienating Western allies, leaving Europe isolated in a seismic shift in American foreign policy. Even Moscow seems somewhat surprised by the dramatic change in stance from the White House: ‘Donald Trump is a realist,’ stated Lavrov, emphasizing a practical approach when interests align. Speculation remains strong about why Trump favors Moscow over traditional US partners. Some persist with the theory that Trump is a Kremlin agent, though without persuasive evidence. Perhaps driving this dramatic geopolitical shift is the ideological fantasy of the American Right that Russia is a natural ally against future conflict with China, potentially severing ties with Beijing, notes CNN. For many skeptical observers, both explanations for Trump’s inexplicable turn to the Kremlin seem equally flawed. The typically tense, if not openly hostile, relationship between the US and Russia appears to be entering a new and radical phase.