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 have raised eyebrows in Moscow.
And Russian eyebrows will have shot up even higher after Trump's reply to a reporter's question. Do you think that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter their air space? the reporter asked. Yes, I do, replied Trump.
Yet the Kremlin's initial response to all of this has been rather restrained. Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov gently brushed aside the paper tiger insult. Russia's in no way a tiger, Mr. Peskov told a Russian radio station. It's more associated with a bear. And there is no such thing as a paper bear.
What of the suggestion that Kyiv could retake lost territory? The assertion that Ukraine can win back something by fighting is mistaken, the spokesman told reporters later.
In a Kremlin conference call for journalists, Dmitry Peskov was asked for his reaction to Trump's comments and replied, Russia, in general, and President Putin in particular value highly President Trump's political will to continue working towards a peace settlement.
There may be another reason why Russia doesn't feel the need to shout back. President Trump's critical comments contained no threats of additional sanctions, no ultimatum to Moscow, and no deadline to make peace, or face consequences.
Furthermore, Trump commented on whether he still trusted Vladimir Putin, stating, I'll let you know in about a month from now. A month is a long time in war and politics, and the Kremlin likely doesn't feel concerned.
On the topic of the threat to shoot down Russian aircraft, the Kremlin responded with denial. We hear the hysteria about our military pilots allegedly violating rules and somebody's air space, Peskov said. But all these claims are groundless and without proof.
Despite the dialogues surrounding economic concerns, Russia's challenges persist. The Kremlin denied accusations of a troubled economy but has acknowledged fiscal strains due to international sanctions and war expenditures.
For now, Vladimir Putin seems determined to push on with the war in Ukraine, regardless of Trump's remarks.
