Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump signalled Thursday that they are ready to hold talks following Trump’s victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Speaking at the Valdai forum in Sochi, Putin congratulated Trump and expressed openness to a future dialogue, simply stating he was “ready.”
Trump, in an NBC News interview, confirmed his willingness to communicate with Putin, adding he’s spoken to probably 70 world leaders since his win, though not yet the Russian leader.
Putin, who has long seen Trump as a disruptor in global politics, remarked on Trump’s recent handling of an attempted attack at a rally, calling him courageous and commending his resilience.
The Kremlin’s relationship with Trump has been under scrutiny since the 2016 election, when Moscow was accused of interference to boost Trump’s chances—an allegation Russia has consistently denied.