Russia has praised Donald Trump’s new US National Security Strategy, describing it as largely in line with Moscow’s worldview. The 33-page document, released last week, argues that Europe faces what it calls civilisational erasure and notably avoids framing Russia as a threat to the United States.
The strategy highlights priorities such as countering foreign influence, restricting mass migration, and rejecting what it describes as the EU’s approach to censorship. Several EU officials and analysts have criticised the document, comparing its tone to Kremlin narratives and questioning the emphasis on freedom of expression.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s state news agency TASS that the adjustments in the strategy were “largely consistent” with Russia’s perspective. He called it a positive sign while noting that Moscow would continue analysing the strategy before issuing definitive conclusions.
EU officials worry that the softened language toward Russia could undermine Western unity in addressing the ongoing war. The document accuses the EU of blocking US attempts to end the conflict and argues that the US must restore strategic stability with Russia to help stabilise European economies. It also appears to endorse efforts to influence policy within Europe, stating that US priorities should include resisting Europe’s current political trajectory from within European nations.
The report raises alarms by predicting that Europe could become unrecognisable within two decades and warns of civilisational decline. It suggests that some European states may struggle to maintain militaries and economies strong enough to remain reliable allies. Meanwhile, it applauds what it calls patriotic European parties and encourages American support for their political rise.
European leaders, who are currently in discussions with the Trump administration over a potential peace deal in Ukraine, have reacted cautiously. German Foreign Minister Wadephul reaffirmed the US as Europe’s most important NATO ally but questioned why topics like freedom of expression appear in a strategy focused on security.
The European Council on Foreign Relations criticised the document, saying it positions itself to the right of Europe’s extreme right movements and mirrors rhetoric associated with the Kremlin. This comes as the US grows increasingly close to Germany’s far-right AfD party, which German intelligence classifies as extremist.
Beyond Europe, the strategy outlines broader global ambitions, including possible military action against alleged drug-trafficking operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, along with calls for higher defence spending from Japan, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan.
In Washington, Democrats have condemned the document. Representative Jason Crow warned it could cause lasting damage to US global standing, while Representative Gregory Meeks said it abandons decades of value-based American leadership.