Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election during the Valdai forum in Sochi on Nov. 7.
Putin said he is ready "to have discussions" with Trump.
“What (Trump) said in terms of seeking to restore relations with Russia, to help bring the 'Ukrainian crisis' to an end, I think is noteworthy at least,” Putin said.
Trump claimed victory in a presidential vote on Nov. 6, defeating his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. The election is expected to have a profound impact on Russia's war in Ukraine, as some worry Trump might seek to cut a deal with Putin at the cost of painful concessions by Kyiv.
Russian officials offered mixed responses to Trump's victory. While some were cautiously optimistic about a possible decrease in support for Ukraine, others said they don't expect Washington's foreign policy to change fundamentally.
The Russian independent news outlet Verstka reported on Nov. 6 that Putin had congratulated Trump "through acquaintances" instead of an official phone call.
Putin claimed indifference to the result of the vote and once even said he would prefer Harris as a president in an apparent wry remark, while U.S. intelligence has accused Russia of election interference to boost Trump's support.
Trump has repeatedly backed and praised Putin. He described Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "genius" and "savvy" in 2022. Later, Trump blamed President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Joe Biden for Moscow's all-out war.
According to journalist Bob Woodward's new book, Trump secretly spoke with Putin as many as seven times after he left office.
Zelensky was among the first to congratulate Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election, voicing hopes for "strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States." The two also had a follow-up phone call, agreeing to strengthen cooperation, Ukraine's president said.
Chris York
