Putin praises Trump and vows dialogue with the U.S

In November 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory in the United States. This event marked Putin's first public comments following Trump's win, where he praised Trump's courage after an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July. During his speech at the Valdai discussion club in Sochi, Putin highlighted Trump's remarks about wanting to improve relations with Russia and end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, indicating that these comments warranted attention. Putin expressed his readiness to engage in dialogue with Trump if the U.S. administration sought to restore relations, framing the initiative as resting with Washington. Furthermore, Putin critiqued Western leaders for their actions in Ukraine, stressing Russia's willingness to negotiate while noting the need for mutual consideration. He emphasized that the situation required careful addressing to avoid further escalation and pointed out that both Russia and the United States would need to navigate their respective interests responsibly to achieve progress. Additionally, Russia's stance during Trump's first term was discussed, indicating that despite claims of Trump being a Russian agent, he had maintained a tough position against Russia during his presidency from 2017 to 2021.