Putin Congratulates Trump on Election Win, Welcomes Opportunity for Renewed Dialogue

Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his election victory while welcoming Trump’s pledge to engage with Moscow and Kyiv to put an end to the Ukraine–Russia war. Speaking at an international forum in Sochi, Russia, on Nov. 7, after taking the opportunity to congratulate Trump on his presidential win, Putin said that what Trump has said “about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to help end the Ukrainian crisis,” in his opinion, “deserves attention at least.” Trump has said he would bring a quick end to the war if elected. While he has not disclosed a detailed plan—saying revealing it would undermine its effectiveness—he has said he would leverage his established relationships with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to push the two warring leaders into a settlement....