Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a plenary session as part of the 21st annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club titled 'Lasting peace on what basis? Common security and equal opportunities for development in the 21st century' in Sochi, Krasnodar region, Russia, 07 November 2024. MAXIM SHIPENKOV/Pool via REUTERS
SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin on Thursday congratulated Donald Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election, praised him for showing bravery when a gunman tried to assassinate him, and said Moscow was ready to talk to the Republican president-elect.
"I would like to congratulate him on his election as president," Putin told the Valdai discussion club in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Trump said during campaigning that he could bring peace in Ukraine within 24 hours if he was elected, but has given few details on how he would seek to end the biggest land war in Europe since World War Two.
Putin said what Trump had said in the campaign about resolving the Ukraine crisis deserved attention. He said that if Trump wanted to resume contacts, then Russia was ready for discussion.
(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
