Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday commended U.S. President-elect Donald Trump as an experienced and intelligent leader but expressed concerns about his safety following multiple assassination attempts. Speaking after a summit in Kazakhstan, Putin highlighted the dangerous challenges Trump had faced during the U.S. presidential campaign.

Trump was wounded in an attempted assassination in Pennsylvania in July, and in September, a man was charged with attempting to target him with a rifle at one of his Florida golf courses. Putin described the attacks and the broader election campaign as shocking, pointing to "uncivilized methods" used against Trump. "In my opinion, he is not safe now," Putin stated, referencing incidents in U.S. history where leaders had faced serious threats. He expressed hope that Trump, as an intelligent leader, would remain cautious and take necessary precautions.

The Russian leader also condemned the personal attacks on Trump’s family during the campaign, calling them "revolting" and a tactic even "bandits" in Russia would avoid. He emphasized that such behavior was beneath the dignity of political discourse and highlighted the stark difference in approach between Russian and U.S. political environments.

Turning to geopolitical issues, Putin speculated on the motivations behind the Biden administration's support for Ukraine, particularly its decision to allow Kyiv to use Western missiles to strike Russian targets. He suggested it could be a strategy either to challenge Trump or to create leverage for him to roll back the policy once in office. However, Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s willingness to engage in dialogue with Trump, expressing optimism about finding solutions to ease tensions.

"We are ready for dialogue," Putin concluded, signaling hope for a potential reset in U.S.-Russia relations under Trump’s leadership.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday commended U.S. President-elect Donald Trump as an experienced and intelligent leader but expressed concerns about his safety following multiple assassination attempts. Speaking after a summit in Kazakhstan, Putin highlighted the dangerous challenges Trump had faced during the U.S. presidential campaign.

Trump was wounded in an attempted assassination in Pennsylvania in July, and in September, a man was charged with attempting to target him with a rifle at one of his Florida golf courses. Putin described the attacks and the broader election campaign as shocking, pointing to "uncivilized methods" used against Trump. "In my opinion, he is not safe now," Putin stated, referencing incidents in U.S. history where leaders had faced serious threats. He expressed hope that Trump, as an intelligent leader, would remain cautious and take necessary precautions.

The Russian leader also condemned the personal attacks on Trump’s family during the campaign, calling them "revolting" and a tactic even "bandits" in Russia would avoid. He emphasized that such behavior was beneath the dignity of political discourse and highlighted the stark difference in approach between Russian and U.S. political environments.

Turning to geopolitical issues, Putin speculated on the motivations behind the Biden administration's support for Ukraine, particularly its decision to allow Kyiv to use Western missiles to strike Russian targets. He suggested it could be a strategy either to challenge Trump or to create leverage for him to roll back the policy once in office. However, Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s willingness to engage in dialogue with Trump, expressing optimism about finding solutions to ease tensions.

"We are ready for dialogue," Putin concluded, signaling hope for a potential reset in U.S.-Russia relations under Trump’s leadership.