SOCHI, Russia — President Vladimir Putin on Thursday congratulated Donald Trump on winning the U.S. election, praised him for showing courage when a gunman tried to assassinate him, and said Moscow was looking forward to talks with the Republican president-elect. Ready for.
In his first public comments since Trump’s victory, Putin, speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 14, said Trump had acted like a real man during the assassination attempt.
“In my opinion, he behaved very correctly, courageously, like a real man,” Putin said at the Valdai discussion club in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. “I take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election.”
Putin said Trump had been “harassed by all sides” in the tumultuous presidential election campaign, but said Trump’s comments about restoring ties with Ukraine and Russia were worthy of attention.
“What was said about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to end the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion at least needs to be paid attention to,” Putin said.
Trump said during the election campaign that if elected he could bring peace to Ukraine within 24 hours, but he has given few details about how he would end Europe’s largest land war since World War II. do.
The 72-year-old Kremlin chief offered only one note of caution: “I don’t know what’s going to happen now. I don’t have a clue.”
When asked by a questioner what he would do if Trump called to suggest a meeting, Putin said he was ready to resume contacts if the Trump administration wanted and was open to discussions with Trump. .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Russia’s leadership remembered Trump’s words about trying to resolve the Ukraine crisis, even if he exaggerated the speed at which it could do so.
Asked about Kamala Harris’ warning that Putin would eat Trump for lunch, Peskov laughed and said: “Putin doesn’t eat people.”
(TagstoTranslate)Politics(T)US News(T)Donald Trump(T)Russia(T)Vladimir Putin
