On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his readiness to hold discussions with Donald Trump, praising him as “courageous” while congratulating him on his victory in the U.S. presidential election.
“I take this opportunity to congratulate him,” Putin said in remarks to the Valdai forum in the southern city of Sochi.
When asked if he was open to talks with Trump, the Russian leader replied, “Ready.”
Before the U.S. election, Putin had publicly stated a preference for Joe Biden, and later Kamala Harris, as the ideal White House candidate for Russia when questioned on the matter.
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However, Moscow has often been seen as supportive of Trump’s anti-establishment approach and the disruptions he has brought to both American and global politics.
Russia was widely accused of interfering in the 2016 presidential election to aid Trump’s campaign against Hillary Clinton, though the Kremlin has consistently denied those allegations.
On Thursday, Putin also mentioned he was impressed by how Trump handled himself during an attempted assassination at a rally earlier this year.
“He turned out to be a courageous person,” Putin said.
“People show who they are in extraordinary circumstances. This is where a person reveals himself. And he showed himself, in my opinion, in a very correct manner, courageously. Like a man,” Putin said.
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