Vladimir Putin congratulates 'courageous' Donald Trump on US ...
Vladimir Putin has hailed Donald Trump as "courageous" for his response to an assassination attempt as he congratulated the next US president.
Mr Trump won a decisive victory in the 2024 election - comfortably clearing the 270 Electoral College votes needed to secure the presidency and clinching five battleground states.
Throughout his campaign, Mr Trump said he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine in just 24 hours - without explaining how he would do so.
Speaking in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Thursday, the Russian leader also noted the president-elect's "desire to restore relations," but added he has "no idea" what to expect from Mr Trump's second term in office.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already congratulated the Republican on his win, he raised concerns that his plan to end the war with Russia quickly means "losses for Ukraine".
Meanwhile, Mr Trump told Sky's partner network NBC News that he has not spoken to Mr Putin yet, but said "I would think that we'll speak".
Image: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in July 2018. Pic: AP
After giving a speech at an international forum in Sochi, Mr Putin said Mr Trump's "behaviour at the time of the attempt on his life made an impression on me".
"He turned out to be a courageous man," the Russian president said. "And it's not just about the raised hand and the call to fight for his and their common ideals...
"He behaved, in my opinion, in a very correct way, courageously, like a man."
Putin won't be popping champagne corks just yet
It was a classic curveball from Vladimir Putin.
Initially, the Kremlin played it cool. "No plans to congratulate Donald Trump," it said, "the US is a hostile nation".
But halfway through another one of Putin's marathon Q&As, that suddenly changed.
It felt like the start of a courtship - an attempt by Russia's president to rekindle their bromance.
He praised Trump's bravery and called him a real man. Flattery of a man who sees himself as a tough leader.
As for the claim Russia is "open to dialogue"? Read that as "call me".
This was an overture from Putin, no doubt, but he doesn't want to make the first move.
I think that's because Moscow is still cautious about another Trump term. The first failed to live up to their expectations.
Despite warm words from Trump, sanctions increased and the US sent weapons to Ukraine.
So unlike 2016, Russia's not popping any champagne corks just yet.
Mr Putin said he felt Mr Trump was "hounded from all sides" when he was last president, and added: "I do not know what is going to happen now.
"I have no clue. For him, this is his last term. What he will do, these are questions for him."
The Russian president added what Mr Trump has said "about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to help end the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, deserves attention at least".
Read more:What a Trump presidency means for EuropeWhen will Trump get the keys to the White House?
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sky News that if the new Trump administration seeks peace rather than "continuation of war" then it will "be better in comparison with the previous one".
But when asked about Kamala Harris's debate suggestion that Mr Putin will "eat Donald Trump for lunch", he bizarrely responded: "Vladimir Putin does not eat people."
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It came as the president-elect told NBC News that he has spoken to about 70 world leaders after winning the 2024 election, but not Mr Putin.
Mr Trump said in a phone interview: "Well, I would think that [he and Mr Putin] will speak. I would certainly think so."
He added he is not aware of any plans to speak to the Russian leader.
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It comes as Mr Zelenskyy said in Budapest on Thursday he was not aware of any details of Mr Trump's plan to end the Ukraine war quickly - but fears a quick resolution would mean major concessions for Kyiv.
"If it's just fast, it means losses for Ukraine," he said. "I just don't yet understand how this could be in any other way. Maybe we do not know something, do not see."
Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy met at Trump Tower in New York in September - days after the future president complained at a rally that "we continue to give billions of dollars to a man who refuses to make a deal" to end the war.
