Putin is many things but not stupid.
He knew he could push HilLIARy around, so would have preferred her.
But he knows he can do business with Trump. Despite being separate countries there ARE common interests.
At the moment, Russia is neither ally nor adversary. Had Herself been levered into the Oval Office, Putin would have certainly gone into his all-out bully mode, much as he has demonstrated in Georgia and Ukraine, and the reconquest of the Crimean Peninsula. What did the Obama-Clinton regime do about any of these?
Putin has chosen to tread softly around Donald Trump, who is a sort of unknown quantity. Putin’s circumspect approach lies in not being at all sure of just how Trump might respond, but Putin could move with decisive swift action were he to be dealing with Herself.
At the moment, Russia is neither ally nor adversary. Had Herself been levered into the Oval Office, Putin would have certainly gone into his all-out bully mode, much as he has demonstrated in Georgia and Ukraine, and the reconquest of the Crimean Peninsula. What did the Obama-Clinton regime do about any of these?
Putin has chosen to tread softly around Donald Trump, who is a sort of unknown quantity. Putin’s circumspect approach lies in not being at all sure of just how Trump might respond, but Putin could move with decisive swift action were he to be dealing with Herself.
I agree with what you said. Some part of me has to think that Putin actually respects Trump, and believes that Trump is likely more trustworthy than Hillary. And Putin is likely relieved not to have 0bama on steroids, to deal with here, as far as promoting all the “globalism” crap.