Putin congratulates Trump on election win in first comments on US vote

President Vladimir Putin publicly congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory, marking his first comments on the U.S. election results. He expressed interest in Trump's desire to improve relations with Russia and address the Ukrainian crisis. Putin acknowledged Trump's claim to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict quickly but stated that the Kremlin will wait for specific actions. He noted uncertainty about what a second Trump presidency would entail. The Kremlin maintains a cautious stance, viewing the U.S. as "unfriendly" and emphasizing that relations are at a historic low. Putin highlighted that Trump's first term saw significant sanctions against Russia.