Putin congratulates Trump on election win in first public remarks on U.S. vote
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory, marking his first public comment on the U.S. vote. He praised Trump’s bravery during a July assassination attempt and acknowledged Trump's desire to improve U.S.-Russia relations.
Putin expressed uncertainty about what to expect from Trump’s second term, stating, “I don’t know what will happen now.” He noted that Trump’s actions will determine future relations, while the Kremlin remains cautious about the U.S. as an “unfriendly” country.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned the possibility of contact between Putin and Trump before the inauguration. He emphasized that U.S.-Russia relations are at a historic low, and it will be up to the new U.S. leadership to change that.