Putin Praises 'Courageous' Trump, Says Russia is Ready for Dialogue

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Facts

  • Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin on Thursday congratulated Donald Trump on his re-election, praising him as courageous in the way he responded to an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.[1]
  • Speaking at a discussion forum in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Putin said: "People show who they are in extraordinary circumstances. This is where a person reveals himself. And he showed himself, in my opinion, in a very correct manner, courageously. Like a man."[2]
  • "I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his victory in the US presidential election," Putin added. "I have already said that we will work with any head of state who is trusted by the American people."[3]
  • Putin went on to state that he doesn't know what will happen next, but added that "what has been said about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to contribute to the end of the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, it deserves at least attention." When asked if he's prepared to engage in dialogue with Trump, Putin responded that Russia was "ready."[3][4]
  • However, Putin reiterated Russia's demands for a deal on Thursday, including that Ukraine should remain neutral and give up its NATO aspirations. Regarding referendums that were not internationally recognized, Putin also suggested Russia should hold onto territory acquired in the course of the war.[2][5]
  • In Hungary on Thursday, Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters: "We all want to end this war, but a fair ending...If it is very fast, it's going to be a loss for Ukraine." Meanwhile, in an effort to convince Trump to back Ukraine, NATO chief Mark Rutte said that North Korean troop deployments in exchange for Russian technology were a direct threat to the US.[2][6]

Sources: [1]Reuters, [2]The Guardian, [3]TASS, [4]BBC News, [5]UN Press and [6]POLITICO.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by The Guardian. Preying on Trump's well-documented fondness for flattery, these compliments from Putin are carefully calibrated statements in the hope that he can secure the deal he wants over Ukraine.
  • Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. As the Russian president said, the country is open to dialogue and is prepared to settle the conflict by peaceful means. However, Russia's goals over security concerns have not changed.