Kremlin denies Trump-Putin meeting before inauguration

During a Thursday press conference, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov firmly denied any contact between Putin and Trump following the U.S. presidential elections. No, it's not true, he responded when a journalist inquired whether Putin had congratulated Trump on his election victory.

When asked whether any contacts are planned, Peskov added, that at least for now, he knows nothing about such plans.

"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," Peskov said at a Thursday press conference. He was responding to a question about whether the Kremlin is prepared to resume contact with the United States if such a request is made.

Peskov added that President Putin was and remains open to such contacts.

Prompted about Trump's statements regarding ending the conflict in Ukraine within 24 hours, Peskov replied that it is too early to draw conclusions about how Trump will address the Ukrainian issue.

"Of course, it was somewhat exaggerated when he said he would end the conflict overnight," Peskov stated. However, he added, "If the new administration seeks peace and not the continuation of the conflict, it would be better than the previous one."

The Kremlin spokesperson also addressed comments made by Trump's election opponent, Kamala Harris, during a televised debate. She suggested that Trump, if victorious, would sacrifice American allies in Europe "in the name of mercy" from Putin, who "would eat him for lunch."

"Putin does not eat people," the Kremlin spokesperson stated with a smile when asked to comment on this statement.

Donald Trump, who won the U.S. presidential election, will return to the White House after four years. His victory prompted reactions from politicians around the world, including congratulations from the United Kingdom, Germany, Ukraine, France, and India.

Russia reacted cautiously to Trump's election, emphasizing that the United States remains a "hostile state." Russians noted that time will tell if Trump's rhetoric about ending the war in Ukraine translates into reality.

Trump has repeatedly promised that after returning to the White House, he will work towards ending the conflict and initiating negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. "The Wall Street Journal" reported that his "peace plan" includes freezing the conflict along the current front line and creating a 500-mile demilitarized zone.

The plan also suggests that Ukraine refrain from joining NATO for the next 20 years. It is unclear who would guard this zone, but it is known that U.S. forces will not be involved in the peace mission or funding.

After ending his term in 2021, Donald Trump made several comments on speculation regarding his contacts with Vladimir Putin. Although he refrained from directly commenting on the matter, he stated that if such talks were to occur, it would be a "smart thing." The former U.S. president emphasized that his relationship with the Russian president was friendly, which he considers an asset in maintaining good international relations.