Russian news outlet Verstka has reported that President Vladimir Putin has congratulated US President-elect Donald trump on his victory in the 2024 election via “mutual friends”. The report said that Russian officials and elites, including Putin, extended congratulations to the 47th US president through acquaintances, citing a senior parliamentary source.
Financial Express Online couldn’t independently fact-check the validity of the claim. However, on Wednesday, Russia stated that President Vladimir Putin was open to engage in “constructive dialogue” with the United States, emphasizing that the future of US-Russia relations will largely depend on the actions of the American administration, reported PTI.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made these comments following the news that 78-year-old Republican candidate Donald Trump had defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in a contentious election.
Will US-Russia relationship change post Trump victory?
Peskov was responding to a question about whether relations between the US and Russia might worsen if Putin did not congratulate Trump on his victory. The state-run TASS news agency reported that Peskov reiterated that Putin had long expressed his willingness to engage in talks with the US, but the nature of those discussions would depend on whether Washington’s approach changes after Trump takes office.
Peskov emphasized that Putin had repeatedly stated his openness to constructive dialogue, grounded in fairness, equality, and mutual respect for both sides’ interests. However, he noted that the current US administration holds a “contrary position.” Peskov concluded by saying, “Let’s wait and see what happens in January,” referring to Trump’s upcoming inauguration on January 20, 2025.
He also remarked that US-Russia relations were already at their lowest point in history, and it was unlikely they could worsen further. When asked about Putin’s reaction to the election results, Peskov declined to provide specifics but added that Russia was closely monitoring developments in Washington.
As of the latest election results, Trump had secured 277 electoral votes, surpassing the 270-mark needed to win, while Harris was trailing at 224 votes. Trump’s victory was confirmed after he won the crucial battleground state of Wisconsin.