Russian politicians being cautiously optimistic about new American phenomenon

Russian politicians are being cautiously optimistic about Barack Obama’s triumphant victory at the election.

Photo: Russian politicians being cautiously optimistic about new American phenomenon

Russia’s major media outlets and prominent politicians said prior to the voting in the United States that building relations with Russia would become one of the serious tests for the new American president. Spokespeople for Obama’s headquarters stated after the victory of their candidate that Obama would obviously defend USA’s interests although he would be able to find a pragmatic base for cooperation with Russia.

A recent opinion poll conducted by Russia ’s Levada Center showed that most Russians gave more of their sympathies to Barack Obama than to John McCain. Most of the polled Russians said that the Russian administration could find a common language with the Democratic Party of the United States.

Russia’s Vice Prime Minister Igor Sechin said that the Russian government was ready to cooperate with the new US President Barack Obama. Spokespeople for Russia’s Foreign Ministry said that they hoped for more constructive approaches in the US-Russian relations after the election of the new President in the United States .

Moscow hopes that the results of the presidential vote in the USA would help build a new environment in the cooperation between the two countries in the field of foreign politics, economics and finance.

Igor Shuvalov, the first Vice Premiere of the Russian government, hopes that the voting results in the US would show a favorable influence on the economic situation in the world. “The first reaction on the stock market shows that there is a hope,” the official said.

The leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Gennady Zyuganov, welcomed Barack Obama’s victory. “His election is the choice of the younger, and the modern America which has been totally disappointed in the politics of George W. Bush. The Americans will not forgive the Republicans the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Zyuganov told Interfax Wednesday.

“Obama does not have answers to many vital questions yet, although he stated in many of his speeches that he would change the previous political course, which is highly important. All Republican presidents have always defended national interests, ignoring the interests of other countries of the world. The new US president cannot but understand that it is impossible to seek and find answers to many global issues without the participation of such a great country as Russia,” the leader of Russian communists said.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the Liberal and Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) believes that Obama’s victory will mark a new era in the development of the US-Russian relations. “The fact that Obama won is a big plus. There is no point to expect any worsening in the relations – there will be only improvement achieved on all aspects,” Zhirinovsky told Interfax.

“All the worst things that could happen have already happened during the work of the Bush’s administration. Georgia , Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela – the Bush’s bat has been everywhere,” the LDPR leader said.

Zhirinovsky believes that Obama would not be supporting Georgia ’s and Ukraine ’s NATO membership and would leave Iran and North Korea alone. In addition, the politician added, Obama would withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan by the end of his presidency.

Alexander Torshin, the first vice speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, also expects a turn for the better in the US-Russian relations. “Obama’s victory was predictable due to the fact that the development of the traditional course had led to the financial crisis. Some openly say that McCain is Bush’s clone. The USA needs fresh blood, the new spirit, and it is obvious that the entire team of the new President-elect will change, the senator said.

Russia ’s Ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin believes that Obama will improve the relations between Russia and NATO. “It will contribute to the improvement of relations between Russia and the alliance and to the removal of those irresponsible prohibitions for cooperation, which the previous administration had set,” the official said.

Rogozin added that Obama’s election victory would strengthen America, which was particularly important under the conditions of the financial crisis. “Obama is a phenomenon, which requires analysis and understanding on the part of Russian politicians,” he concluded.