Putin Congratulates Trump, Both Ready for Talks After Big Win

Photo: Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump signaled on Thursday that they were open to engaging in talks after Trump’s stunning victory in the race for the White House. Putin extended his congratulations to Trump during his address at the Valdai forum in Sochi, Russia, after the Republican candidate triumphed over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s election.

“I take this opportunity to congratulate him,” Putin remarked, acknowledging Trump’s win in a race that had captured global attention. His brief yet direct statement came shortly after the electoral outcome was confirmed, paving the way for potential diplomatic conversations between the two leaders.

When asked if he was open to engaging in talks with Trump, Putin's response was simple: “Ready.” The Russian president did not elaborate further, but the sentiment was clear: he was prepared for dialogue with the newly elected U.S. leader.

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Trump, for his part, indicated he was also willing to converse with Putin. In an interview with NBC News, the Republican tycoon revealed that he had already been in contact with "probably" 70 world leaders since his victory was announced, but had not yet spoken with Putin. Trump emphasized, however, that discussions with the Russian leader were likely, adding, “I think we’ll speak” when the topic of future talks came up.

Interestingly, Trump’s victory had been met with some ambiguous comments from Putin earlier. While he had publicly claimed, with a wry smile, that he hoped Kamala Harris would win the election, many in the international community took this remark with a grain of salt. Russia, after all, has long been seen as supportive of Trump’s anti-establishment rhetoric and the political chaos he introduced both in the U.S. and abroad. Moscow’s interest in Trump’s brand of politics was well documented, with experts suggesting that the Kremlin saw his unpredictable approach as advantageous for its own interests on the global stage.

A new book by American investigative journalist Bob Woodward provides further insight into the relationship between the two leaders. It reveals that Trump and Putin may have spoken as many as seven times during Joe Biden’s presidency, with Trump allegedly sending Putin scarce Covid-19 tests during his tenure. These covert interactions add another layer of intrigue to the relationship between the two men, which has been marked by a mix of public tensions and private engagements.

Putin, who had been accused of attempting to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election to benefit Trump’s campaign against Hillary Clinton, once again rejected any such claims. Moscow has consistently denied accusations of election interference, despite widespread reports and investigations into Russian efforts to sway public opinion in favor of Trump.

In a recent comment that caught the attention of many, Putin also spoke highly of Trump’s behavior during an assassination attempt at one of his rallies earlier this year. Putin expressed admiration for how Trump reacted to the frightening incident, saying, "He turned out to be a courageous person. 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."

This praise for Trump’s actions at the rally further illustrates Putin’s perception of the former U.S. president. Putin's statement, reflective of his long-standing approach to leaders who display strength and resilience, seems to emphasize his personal view of Trump as a figure of courage and conviction, particularly in the face of danger.

With both Putin and Trump signaling their openness to dialogue, it remains to be seen how the relationship between Russia and the U.S. will evolve in the coming months, as the world watches closely to see if these potential conversations will materialize into meaningful diplomatic exchanges