BBC:
Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory, calling him a “courageous man”.
Speaking at an event in the Russian city of Sochi, the Russian president said that Trump was “hounded from all sides” during his first term in the White House.
Putin also said that Trump’s claim that he can help end the war in Ukraine “deserves attention at least”.
During his campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly said he could end the war “in a day” but has never elaborated on how that could happen.
During Putin’s address, which lasted several hours and covered a wide range of topics, he also spoke of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in July, saying it “made an impression” on him.
After being shot, Trump punched his fist into the air and mouthed the words “fight, fight, fight”, before being hauled away by Secret Service agents.
“He behaved, in my opinion, in a very correct way, courageously, like a man,” Putin said.
Asked if he was ready to have discussions with Donald Trump, Putin replied: “We’re ready, we’re ready.”
Trump had already said on Thursday that he was prepared to speak with Putin, telling NBC News: “I think we’ll speak”.
The Kremlin was widely accused of interfering in the 2016 presidential election to boost Donald Trump’s campaign against Hilary Clinton, claims rejected by Moscow.
US Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigated allegations of collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia in 2016, but said in a report three years later that had found no evidence of conspiracy.
