Putin gives thumbs-up on Trump victory

WASHINGTON: Russian President Vladimir Putin is giving a thumbs-up to president-elect Donald Trump's victory. In a brief statement Wednesday, the Kremlin said Putin has sent Trump a telegram to congratulate him on winning. Putin expressed "his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state." Putin also says he has confidence that building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington — one based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting each other's positions — is in the interest of both nations and the world. Trump has drawn criticism for repeatedly praising Putin's leadership and advocating a closer working relationship with Russia despite its record of human rights abuses and recent military incursions in Ukraine and Syria.