Vladimir Putin Praises Donald Trump: ‘Brave Man’

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on his election victory.
Putin also said he was ready to speak with him and described Trump as a “brave man” for how he conducted himself during the July assassination attempt.
Trump has frequently spoken about his good relationship with Putin, and Trump critics scrutinized their ties during the Republican’s first term in the White House.
In Bob Woodward’s latest book, War, the veteran journalist wrote that Trump and Putin had multiple conversations after Trump left office. However, Trump’s team has called Woodward’s accounts “made-up stories.”
Putin’s comments about Trump came after a speech during an international forum conference in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
″I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election as president of the United States of America,” Putin said, adding 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.”
Prior to Putin’s public remarks about Trump’s victory, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested the Russian leader and Trump could be in contact before January 20, 2025, when Trump assumes the Oval Office.
“Putin’s communication with Trump before the inauguration is not ruled out. The Kremlin proceeds from the statements of the U.S. president-elect,” Peskov said, according to Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti on Thursday.
Meanwhile, when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was asked about communicating with Trump’s team, he said Russia has never held out on talking with the United States.
“We have never refused to speak with anyone. President Putin emphasises our position every time this topic comes up. Talking is always better than isolating ourselves from each other,” Lavrov said.
Kurt Volker, former special representative for Ukraine during Trump’s first term, said the president-elect could soon attempt to bring an end to Russia’s war with Ukraine.
Trump has repeatedly said he could end the war within a day, suggesting his relationship with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could help broker a peace deal.
Volker, who was involved in negotiations with Ukraine and Putin between 2017 and 2019, told the Kyiv Independent this week that Trump will “make a phone call to Putin as quickly as possible” and tell the Russian president that “he needs to stop the war.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Update 11/07/24 3:17 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.