The new US president made the comments as Russia was hit by a huge Ukranian drone strike - with reports of a 250-kilogram bomb exploding on a military factory with 4,300 employees

Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated United States President-elect Donald Trump on his inauguration and told him that Moscow was "open for dialogue" with the new administration over the Russia-Ukraine war.

I think he should make a deal,” U.S. president says about the Kremlin chief. The war “is not making him look good.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated President-elect Trump ahead of his inauguration on Monday and said Moscow is open to dialogue with the new administration. Speaking during a video call with Russia’s Security Council before Trump’s swearing in,

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on taking office hours before Trump's inauguration in Washington and said he was open to dialogue with the new U.S. administration on Ukraine and nuclear arms.

President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s ready for talks with the US on the war in Ukraine as he offered congratulations to Donald Trump on his inauguration as president.

Putin's comments show a sharp change in the Kremlin's stance back in November when they refused to congratulate Trump on his victory, stating the US being "unfriendly" to Russia as the reason.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country was open to dialogue with the new Trump administration on the conflict in Ukraine, as he welcomed what he said was the president-elect's attitude toward preventing a third world war.