Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Thursday (Nov 7), congratulated Donald Trump on winning the US presidential election. In his first remarks since Trump's win, he praised his courage when a gunman tried to assassinate him during a rally in Pennsylvania. 

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"He behaved, in my opinion, in a very correct way, courageously, like a real man," Putin said at the Valdai discussion club in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. "I take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election."

Putin also raised the remarks made by Trump during his election campaign about Ukraine and restoring relations with Russia, saying that it deserved attention.

"What was said about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to bring about the end of the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, this deserves attention at least," said Putin.

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However, the 72-year-old Kremlin chief also added cautiously, "I do not know what is going to happen now. I have no clue."

Notably, Trump had earlier said that if he became the president, he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours. However, he had never given a clear plan of action about how would he do this.

Putin also said that he was open to holding a dialogue with Trump. Responding to a reporter about what he would do if Trump suggests a meeting, the Russian president said he was ready to resume contacts if the Trump administration wanted that. 

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Also Read: Trump-Putin phone call expected before January inauguration

Past allegations of Trump campaign-Putin collusion

There have been accusations that Russia and the Trump campaign colluded during the US elections in 2016, although US Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence for it in a probe.

Watch: What Will Donald Trump's Second Administration Look Like?

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Earlier, a former American diplomat said that Trump is likely to call Putin and ask him to stop the war in Ukraine as soon as possible. 

Trump is “going to make a phone call to Putin as quickly as possible and tell Putin that he needs to stop the war, that the fighting has to stop, and that there has to be peace,” Kurt Volker, former US special representative for Ukraine negotiations, said. 

The Moscow Times reported Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that Putin might speak with Trump before his inauguration in January, but won't initiate contact.