‘I’m ready anytime’; Putin says he’s open to talks with Trump, dismisses claims that he would be the ‘weaker leader’

Meduza.io

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he has not spoken with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump following his election victory but expressed his willingness to hold talks.

During Putin’s year-end press conference on Thursday, NBC News’ Keir Simmons questioned Russia’s international standing, suggesting that it had failed to achieve the goals of its “special military operation,” suffered significant military losses — including the deaths of high-ranking generals — and seen the overthrow of the Russian-backed Assad regime in Syria. Simmons also speculated that Putin would approach any talks with Trump as the “weaker leader.”

Putin dismissed the premise of the question, noting that while he has not spoken with Trump in over four years, he is open to meeting with him.

“I don’t know when we will meet. He hasn’t said anything about it, and I haven’t spoken with him in over four years. But I’m ready anytime, and I’ll be prepared for the meeting if he wants it. You mentioned that this conversation will happen when I am supposedly in some weakened state. […] You, and those in the U.S. who pay your salary, would like to see Russia in a weakened position. I see things differently. I believe Russia has grown significantly stronger over the past two or three years because we are becoming a truly sovereign country.

We are no longer dependent on anyone. Economically, we are standing firmly on our own two feet. […] We are strengthening our defense capabilities, and the combat readiness of our Armed Forces is among the highest in the world. […] We are rapidly increasing production of everything needed for our army and navy, both for current operations and for the future. And we’re doing this confidently and at a fast pace — something that cannot be said of our adversaries.”