Can one be a staunch crypto backer and a supporter of U.S. dollar supremacy? That stance could become a dilemma for President-elect Donald Trump, who has touted both goals for his next administration.

The Russian government has been a historic opponent of bitcoin, banning its use for domestic payments, but has recently come to see the potential benefits of virtual currencies for evading U.S. and Western sanctions.

In a recent interview with the state-owned news channel Russia-24 on December 25, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov provided insights into Russia’s active experimentation with digital financial assets (DFAs) for international trade.

Ukraine has announced "sanctions and other solutions" to block Russia's unwanted cryptocurrency payments. Source: Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Advisor to the president of Ukraine and Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Details: Vlasiuk recalled that Russian companies started using Bitcoin and other digital currencies for international payments after changes

Bitcoin and BRICS are considered to be helpful for reducing Russian dependence on the US dollar. Russia began international dealings through Bitcoin. Russia trusts digital currencies to make inter-nation trade easier in ways that can protect it from US sanctions and give greater control over global trade with and over the US dollar.