MOSCOW, November 5. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his defeat in the presidential elections to Democratic candidate Joe Biden may lead to mass riots and outbursts of violence all across American cities, says Dmitry Suslov, director of the HSE University’s Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS) .

"Trump’s refusal to acknowledge defeat and the battle that he unfurling may not cause lengthy court proceedings alone. We don’t know how this is going to end, considering the GOP’s majority in the Supreme Court. This situation may end up with outbursts of violence on America’s streets," Suslov cautioned. "So far, this hasn’t happened, but, should Biden continue to speak of his victory and should Trump keep on saying that victory has been stolen from him, mass riots are possible."

The analyst predicts that the struggle between the two US parties will continue in the nation’s courts for several weeks, with the losing side challenging the outcome. Suslov speculated that votes may be re-counted in several states, considering the Republican majority in the Supreme Court. According to the expert, this is unlikely to dramatically alter the situation, yet still; a different outcome is possible, even if it’s extremely slight.

The expert pointed out that, currently, there is no indication that the incumbent president will acknowledge his defeat.

"Trump understands that about half of all Americans are on his side. Besides, it’s not in his character to acknowledge failures," the expert insisted.

An unfriendly Congress

Should Joe Biden win, he will face an uphill battle to implement his political policies, Suslov predicted. The Republican majority in the Senate will keep obstructing the implementation of Biden’s campaign promises. In particular, Senators can sabotage Biden’s foreign policy initiatives by refusing to ratify international treaties.

"In two years, the Republican majority in the Senate may also spread to the House. The next two years will be rather difficult for US economic development: the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis are not about to go away," he added. "Besides, according to American political traditions, a victory by one party’s presidential candidate usually results in the other party’s victory in Congress during midterm elections."

Commenting on Biden’s foreign policy priorities, Suslov pointed out that the new leader will largely adhere to his predecessor’s agenda towards Russia and to a policy of restraint regarding China. Meanwhile, the analyst speculated that the current administration may try to extend the New START Treaty for at least one year, in order to claim a foreign policy achievement. However, such a move would shut the window on possibly extending the deal for a longer period with the new administration.

"Whether Russia will extend the Treaty for one year now and agree on a concession it offered even before the elections - that is, to suspend all nuclear arsenals - should Biden promise to extend the Treaty [for longer period], is debatable," Suslov concluded. "I do not think it is that beneficial for Russia anymore now. Maybe, it would be more beneficial to work with the so-called transition team, and agree with it in advance that we will extend the New START with the Biden administration."

The 2020 US presidential elections took place on November 3. The outcome in a number of swing states still remains unknown. According to calculations, made by leading US TV channels, Joe Biden is in lead. In order to win the race for the White House, a candidate needs 270 out of 538 electoral votes. Trump has filed lawsuits claiming irregularities in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia and has demanded a recount in Wisconsin, which is bound to lead to a contested outcome.