Transcript of Putin congratulates Trump on election victory and say he’s ready to talk | BBC News

President Putin has congratulated Donald Trump on his victory. The Russian leader said he was ready to talk to the President-elect. Is any ideas on ending what he called the Ukraine crisis were worth considering. Steve Rosenberg reports now from Sochi in Southern Russia.

World leaders have been queuing up to congratulate America's new President. That him if Putin, though, had stayed silent.

Until now, Donald will love this. The way he behaved during the attempt on his life, that made an impression on me.

He's a brave man.

Then more praise. As the Kremlin leader said, he's ready to talk to Trump.

What he said publicly about wanting to improve relations with Russia and resolve the Ukraine conflict, I think that at least deserves attention.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election as the US President.

In Donald Trump's first term, relations with Russia had got worse. But the Kremlin will spy an opportunity now to build a stronger relationship and try to use that to end the war in Ukraine on terms beneficial to Russia. Vladimir Putin made his comments at a conference in the mountains of Southern Russia. The Kremlin is counting on a Trump administration to thaw ties with the West. When Donald Trump first became President in 2016, the Kremlin's expectations were sky high. Trump was seen as an American leader who would move mountains to mend US-Russian relations. It didn't happen, but clearly, Russian officials haven't lost hope. Some here are hoping that Donald Trump will clip America's wings.

Trump will spur the retreat of the United States for the position of a global superpower, to the position of a global normal power.

And Moscow may benefit from upheaval in America.

The more the United States is embarrassed, the more the United States is in disarray, the more the United States is arguing with itself, the more the United looks confused, the better it is for the Kremlin.

The title of this conference was, Together into a New World. Vladimir Putin can't wait. Steve Rosenberg, BBC News, Sochi.