I'm sorry, weren't we told that Donald Trump was going to be some sort of toady for Vladimir Putin? And that Putin somehow engineered Trump's victory over Hillary precisely with this in mind? That is not working out too well - for Putin.
Understand: Russia is a very large country geographically, and it aspires to be an influential global player, whether through the use of military force and intimidation or through economic power. The economic power part is essential because without it Russia can't even afford the military through which it might intimidate others. And crucial to Russia's economic strength is its ability to market its energy resources globally