Neither Donald Trump nor Kamala Harris Is Ours*

*Editor’s note: On March 4, 2022, Russia enacted a law that criminalizes public opposition to, or independent news reporting about, the war in Ukraine. The law makes it a crime to call the war a “war” rather than a “special military operation” on social media or in a news article or broadcast. The law is understood to penalize any language that “discredits” Russia’s use of its military in Ukraine, calls for sanctions or protests Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It punishes anyone found to spread “false information” about the invasion with up to 15 years in prison.

Dmitry Drize on U.S.-Russia relations

Kamala Harris has officially clinched the Democratic Party’s nomination. As the current vice president of the United States, she secured the support of more than 4,000 of her party’s members. Harris has been gaining momentum in the race, but experts urge caution — nothing is set in stone yet. Dmitry Drize, a political commentator for Kommersant FM, suggests that it might be in Russia’s best interest to strike a deal with the outgoing Biden administration.

Kamala Harris is pushing ahead, while Donald Trump appears rattled and has resorted to sharp, personal attacks. It’s as if he didn’t seen this coming. Still, it’s too early to declare Harris the winner. There is still a considerable amount of time before the election. Right after the assassination attempt, Trump was practically being congratulated on his election. Who’s to say that everything won’t change again? The times are indeed very unsettled.

So it’s time to ask: What’s the Kremlin’s take? Russian state television, backed by numerous observers, seems to echo Trump — portraying Harris as an inexperienced and unprofessional politician who behaves inappropriately. Harris has always stood in Biden’s shadow, and she just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Russian TV argues that she has no real agenda, just a lot of public relations; that she’s merely an amateur. And naturally, they say, she’ll continue to build a liberal dictatorship around the world.

Given this perspective, it’s logical to think that Moscow might prefer to cut a deal now with the more familiar Joe Biden before he leaves office. After all, Biden needs a big win to secure his legacy. What could be better than going down in history as a great peacemaker?

But this scenario doesn’t seem to be panning out. There’s no sign of any willingness to compromise. Plus, the U.S. is currently deeply involved in the Middle East. Not long ago, it seemed like a major deal was just around the corner.

If not by November, then in time for the new year, we will definitely reach some agreement, draw new red lines, or at least achieve a cease-fire in Ukraine under conditions favorable to Russia.

So, what’s the endgame? Neither Trump nor Harris is ours. Trump is an unpredictable populist — he says one thing today and something completely different tomorrow. How can you negotiate with someone like that? Harris, on the other hand, appears to be a liberal dictator — someone Russia has no interest in aligning with. Unfortunately, there’s no third option. Right now, there are no good scenarios — only bad and worse. But eventually, some kind of negotiation will take place. We just have to hang on until that day comes.