Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his readiness to engage in discussions with US President-elect Donald Trump.
This announcement was made during Putin's annual marathon year-end news conference, a platform he uses to address various national and international issues.
Putin revealed that he has not communicated with Trump for over four years but is prepared for potential talks. "I am ready for this at any time, and I will be ready for a meeting if he wants it," Putin stated in response to a question from NBC’s Kier Simmons.
The Russian leader's openness to dialogue comes with expectations that the new administration in Washington might advocate for a negotiated resolution to the war in Ukraine.
During the conference, Putin also addressed the military situation in Ukraine, particularly the southern Kursk region, where Russian forces are engaged in ongoing battles.
He refrained from providing a specific timeline for reclaiming the area but assured that "we will definitely push them out, there is no other way."
Addressing concerns about Russia's negotiating position following recent setbacks in the Middle East and Ukraine, Putin dismissed the notion of a weakened stance. "I believe that Russia has become much stronger over the past two or three years. We are becoming a truly sovereign country," he asserted.
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