Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly congratulated Donad Trump on his win in the 2024 election through 'mutual friends', Russian news outlet Verstka reported on Wednesday. This comes after the Republican nominee beat VP Kamala Harris by winning 295 electoral votes. Several world leaders sent their wishes to the president-elect.
The Russian publication further reported that 'representatives of the Russian authorities and elite, including President Vladimir Putin' congratulated Trump through 'acquaintances'. Verstka cited a high-ranking interlocutor in parliament.
Read More: Kamala Harris Concedes ‘Historic’ Election, Details Of Call To Donald Trump Revealed
Related News | 
World Leaders Congratulate Donald Trump After Victory In US Election
From Mass Deportation To Ending Russia-Ukraine War: Trump's Biggest Promises For Second Term
The report comes hours after a Kremlin official, according to Politico, said that Putin has not congratulated Trump, and does not plan to. Times Now cannot independently verify the validity of these claims.
According to reports, other Russian government officials have also congratulated Donald Trump, including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev.
Medvedev reportedly said: "Trump has one useful quality for us. He's a businessman to the bone, he has a deathly hatred of spending money on hangers-on and freeloaders." He further added that the 'system is stronger than him'.
Related News | 
Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump: Who Won The 2024 Popular Vote?
Read More: Donald Trump 2.0 Loading: How The New Presidency Would Impact India-US Ties
CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev told Politico that Donald Trump's re-election 'opens up new opportunities for resetting relations between Russia and the United States'. He added: "Ordinary Americans are tired of the unprecedented lies, incompetence, and malice of the Biden administration."
Kremlin spokesperson reportedly Dmitry Peskov said: "President Putin has repeatedly said that he is open to a constructive dialogue based on justice, equality, and mutual respect for each other’s concerns. And President Putin remains committed to this position and has reiterated it multiple times."