Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump for his election victory and called him a “courageous person”.
The Russian president claimed that Trump was “hounded by all sides” in his first term as President.
Putin said that Trump’s claim that he could help end the conflict in Ukraine “deserves at least attention”.
Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that he can end the war in “a day”, but he has never explained how this could be achieved.
During Putin’s speech, which lasted for several hours and covered many topics, he spoke of the July assassination of Donald Trump, saying that it “made an impact” on him.
After being shot, Trump shook his fist in the air, mouthing the words “fight fight fight”, before being dragged away by Secret Service agents.
“He behaved in my opinion in a very right way, courageously and like a man,” Putin stated.
When asked if he is ready to discuss with Donald Trump, Putin responded: “We are ready, we are ready.”
Trump said Thursday that he is willing to speak with Putin. He told NBC News, “I think we will speak”.
Moscow has denied the allegations that it interfered in the 2016 presidential elections to help Donald Trump’s campaign and Hilary Clinton’s.
Robert Mueller, the US Special Counsel, investigated allegations of collusion in 2016 between Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia. Three years later he said that he had found no evidence.
On Thursday, other leaders gathered in Budapest for the European Political Community discussed Trump’s return to Washington.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had “a very warm” and “productive” conversation with the president elect.
“But we must do everything possible to ensure that our interaction between Ukraine, America, and the rest of Europe is productive and positive,” said he.
Many in Ukraine, and Europe, are concerned that Trump could slow, if he doesn’t stop, the flow of American aid to Kyiv after assuming power in January.
At the summit, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir starmer assured Zelensky that the UK will continue to support Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister who had previously said that he had celebrated Trump’s victory by “tapping happily into the vodka supply”, said the US and Europe face tough trade talks.
Orban, a close Trump ally, said at a press conference “the trade issue will come up, and it won’t be easy”.
Trump had promised to impose 10% tariffs on all imports before winning the election.
“There was an understanding that Europe would be more responsible for its own security and peace in the future. Orban said, “To put it more bluntly: we cannot expect Americans alone to take care us.”
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