Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday congratulated President Donald Trump on his election victory in his first public comments on the U.S. vote, praising the president-elect's courage during an assassination attempt in July.
“His actions at the moment when an attempt was made on his life left an impression on me. He turned out to be a brave man,” Putin told an international forum after a speech in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
“He expressed himself bravely as a man, in exactly the right way,” he added.
Putin also said that “I think it is at least noteworthy that President Trump spoke about his desire to restore relations with Russia and contribute to ending the crisis in Ukraine.”
Earlier, the Kremlin welcomed President Trump's claim that negotiations could be reached to end the Ukraine conflict within “24 hours,” but stressed it would wait for concrete policy measures.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your election as President of the United States,” Putin said during the Q&A session at the conference.
Regarding what he expects from the second Trump administration, President Putin said, “Right now I don't know what will happen. I don't know.''
“For him, this is still his last presidential term. What he does is his problem,” said Putin, who will begin his fifth term this year and remain in power until 2030, followed by another six years. He added that he may seek to remain in office.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that the Kremlin is open to potential contact between Putin and Trump before the inauguration, after Trump “has indicated that he intends to call Putin before the inauguration.” He said he has not ruled it out.
Peskov stressed that the Russian government views the United States as an “unfriendly” country that is directly involved in the Ukraine conflict. He dismissed claims that Putin's failure to contact Trump quickly could harm future relations, saying that relations between Russia and the United States were already at “the lowest point in history.” He said it was up to the new US leadership to change the situation.
The Kremlin's cautious position reflects its view that the US vote is a choice between two unattractive possibilities. Although President Trump is known for his praise of President Putin, the Russian leader has said that Trump's first term included “more restrictions and sanctions against Russia than any previous president has instituted.” I have repeatedly pointed out that it was.
