The US president is not only a powerful political leader but also a strong man, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said

Russian President Vladimir Putin respects his US counterpart Donald Trump because he sees him as a strong personality who is nonetheless open to productive dialogue, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

In an interview with the French magazine Le Point on Wednesday, Peskov stressed that while Putin and Trump have similar positions on some matters, differences on many others remain, as "each defends his country's interests above all else." Still, he noted that both leaders understand the importance of diplomacy.

"What unites them is that they both understand the absurdity of refusing dialogue. What unites them is their willingness to resolve the most difficult issues through discussion. Exactly what was missing with the previous Biden administration," Peskov said.

Reflecting on Trump as a person, who weathered numerous scandals during his first term, including two impeachments, the spokesman noted that he managed to come back from them "because he is a powerful political leader, but also because he has a very strong personality."

When asked if this is why Putin respects Trump, Peskov responded, "Certainly, yes. Putin, being a strong man himself, appreciates strong men."

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has been engaged in efforts to restore bilateral ties with Russia and resolve the Ukraine conflict, with both sides praising the diplomacy as productive. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that America now has a "better" understanding what the Russian position is on the crisis. Moscow's key conditions for ending the conflict are Ukraine's neutrality, demilitarization, and recognition of the new territorial reality on the ground.

On the same day, Trump noted that he had expected to have an easier time dealing with Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky than with Putin, adding that "I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelensky." The US leader also indicated plans to meet with Putin shortly after his upcoming trip to the Middle East in mid-May.

(RT.com)