Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov Photo: VCG

The change of the US national security strategy by the administration of US President Donald Trump, where Russia is not mentioned as a "direct threat," is a positive step, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Sunday.

"We consider this is a positive step," Peskov was quoted by TASS.

Peskov made his comment on the update of the key US document in the national security sphere. It does not contain the mentioning of Russia as the "direct threat" and contains the call to cooperate with Moscow in the strategic stability sphere, according to TASS.

The US National Security Strategy stated that US' broad policy for Europe should prioritize "reestablishing conditions of stability within Europe and strategic stability with Russia."

According to Reuters, since Crimea separated from Ukraine and rejoined Russia in 2014 and 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict, US strategies have designated Moscow as a "major threat." However, the updated US policy, announced on December 5, adopts a softer tone, urging limited cooperation, reported Reuters.

According to the Politico, the 33-page document is a rare formal explanation of the current US administration's foreign policy worldview. Such strategies, which presidents typically release once each term, can help shape how parts of the US government allocate budgets and set policy priorities, the Politico reported. The new US National Security Strategy set out Washington's foreign policy vision as one of "flexible realism" and said US policy would be driven above all by "what works for America" or "America First", according to the document.

According to TASS, the messages for Russia-US relations sent by the current US administration differs from approaches of previous administrations, the Kremlin spokesman noted. "Overall, these messages are certainly in contrast with approaches of previous administrations," the presidential press secretary said.

The Kremlin is going to review the updated US national security strategy in more detail and to analyze its provisions, the press secretary of the Russian President stressed. "Certainly, it should be considered, analyzed in more detail," Peskov noted, TASS reported.

Global Times