'Russia Does Not See Western Civilisation As An Enemy,' Putin Says In Foreign Policy Speech

Last Updated:November 08, 2024, 08:00 IST

Kremlin dismisses Trump's claim to end Ukraine war in a day as an overexaggeration, but agrees peace efforts are better than prolonging the conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a plenary session as part of the 21st annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, Nov 07. (Reuters)

Congratulating Donald Trump on winning the US election, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised him for his courage during the election campaign and added that Moscow does not view Western civilisation as an enemy.

In his first public remarks since Trump’s win, Putin said Trump had acted like a real man during an assassination attempt on him while he was speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July. “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 said: “I have already said that we will work with any head of state who the US nation will trust. This is indeed what we will do." He continued: “I do not consider it shameful for me to call him myself. I just do not do it, because the leaders of Western countries called me almost every week at some stage, until they stopped all of a sudden."

‘Like a real man’

Putin said remarks Trump had made during the election campaign about Ukraine and restoring relations with Russia 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.

The Russian president’s remarks came as the US President-elect revealed he was also prepared for some kind of conversation, telling NBC News in an interview that “I think we’ll speak" as the topic turned to his contacts with world leaders since his victory was announced.

Trump said during campaigning that he could bring peace in Ukraine within 24 hours if elected, but has given few details on how he would seek to end the biggest land war in Europe since World War Two. The 72-year-old Kremlin chief gave just one note of caution: “I do not know what is going to happen now. I have no clue."

Trump’s Russia Ties

When pressed by a questioner what he would do if Trump called to suggest a meeting, Putin said he was ready to resume contact if the Trump administration wanted that, and was ready for discussions with Trump. Russia and Trump have repeatedly dismissed as nonsense some claims in Western media that Trump was a sort of Russian agent of influence.

Russian officials say that during his first term, from 2017 to 2021, Trump was tough on Russia. U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigated allegations of collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, but said in a 2019 report that he found no evidence of conspiracy.

Moscow has also repeatedly denied U.S. assertions that Russia meddled in the 2024 and other presidential elections and had spread disinformation in an attempt to sow chaos. The war in Ukraine is entering what some Russian and Western officials say could be its final – most dangerous – phase after Moscow’s forces advance at their fastest pace since the early weeks of the conflict and the West ponders how the war will end.

‘A little bit of overexaggeration’

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Trump’s claims he could quickly solve the conflict in Ukraine are exaggerated but still better than the continued war.

“Of course, there was a little bit of overexaggeration that he would be able to do it overnight. Certainly, there’s nothing that can heal this problem overnight," Peskov told reporters on Thursday. “But at least if the new administration is going to look for peace, not for the continuation of the war, it will be better." When asked about Kamala Harris’ earlier statement with Trump that Putin would “eat you (Trump) for lunch," Peskov replied, “Putin doesn’t eat people."

(With agency inputs)

Moscow, Russia

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