Putin congratulates Trump on election win in first comments on U.S. vote
Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory, marking his first comments on the U.S. vote. He praised Trump’s bravery during a July assassination attempt and expressed interest in Trump's desire to improve U.S.-Russia relations.
Putin acknowledged Trump's claim to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict quickly but stated that the Kremlin will wait for concrete actions. He noted uncertainty about what to expect from Trump’s second term, emphasizing that it is Trump's decision.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned the possibility of contact between Putin and Trump before the inauguration. He characterized U.S.-Russia relations as being at a historic low, indicating that it is up to the new U.S. leadership to change this dynamic.