Putin Congratulates Trump on US Election Victory, Expresses Desire To Restore Relations

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin , on Thursday, wished President-elect Donald Trump for his sweeping victory in the US Presidential election and expressed willingness to work together to restore relations between the two countries. Putin congratulated Trump on his massive victory and signalled his readiness to engage in restoring relations with the next US President.

Putin, while highlighting the importance of addressing the ongoing war with Ukraine, expressed his desire to restore diplomatic ties between the US and Russia as Trump is set to return to the White House as the 47th President.

Praising Trump’s composure following an assassination attempt in July, during his election campaign in Pennsylvania, Putin described the President-elect as a "brave man" for how he handled the situation.

Putin's Remark Hints At Potential Shift In US-Russia Relations

Meanwhile, the Russian President’s remarks also underscored the potential for a shift in US-Russia relations under Trump's second term.

Notably, ties between the two countries are at a historic low, especially over the United States' support for Ukraine in the war against Russia.

Addressing an international forum, Putin said, “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election as President of the United States of America.” He added that what Trump has said “about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to help end the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, deserves attention at least.”

The Russian President also said that he was impressed with how Trump handled himself in the moments after an assassination attempt in July, describing Trump as a "brave man". "I was impressed by Trump’s behaviour during the assassination attempt. He is brave. He did it right, as a man. Not sure what he will do now," Putin said.

On reports of a possible phone call between the two leaders before the January inauguration, Putin said, "Don’t think it’s wrong to hold a call with Trump. If some world’s leaders seek to restore contacts, I’m not against it. We are ready to speak to Trump".

Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the US on Wednesday, marking a remarkable comeback after his previous refusal to accept defeat, followed by supporters storming the Capitol, felony convictions, and surviving two assassination attempts. Trump secured the presidency by winning all major swing states, while voting continues in two.

Vice President Kamala Harris , his Democratic rival, conceded the race and congratulated Trump. President Joe Biden also congratulated Trump and invited to the White House to begin the transition process.