MOSCOW — The victory of Donald J. Trump declared early on Wednesday was an unexpected bonus for the Kremlin, which had used the long, tortured United States election campaign to prove the global reach of its disruptive disinformation operations and to cast doubt on the entire Western democratic process.

In some ways the result was less important to President Vladimir V. Putin than the fact that Moscow could exploit the campaign as evidence that the West was in chaotic decline.

Mr. Putin coolly congratulated Mr. Trump on his victory on Wednesday, expressing hope that the two could work together in a “constructive dialogue” to solve international crises, including the issue of security, according to the official Kremlin website.

Speaking at a Kremlin ceremony to welcome new ambassadors to Moscow, the Russian president said that the Kremlin had heard Mr. Trump’s campaign slogans about resuming and restoring ties with Russia and was ready to cooperate, even if it involved a “difficult path.”