Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory, calling him a “courageous man”.

Speaking at an event in the Russian city of Sochi, the Russian president said Trump was “hounded from all sides” during his first term in the White House.

Putin also said Trump’s claim that he can help end the war in Ukraine “at least deserves attention.”

During his campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly said he could end the war “in one day,” but he never elaborated on how that could happen.

During Putin’s speech, which lasted several hours and covered a wide range of topics, he also spoke about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in July, saying it had “impressed” him.

After being shot, Trump pumped his fist into the air and uttered the words “fight, fight, fight” before being dragged away by Secret Service agents.

“He behaved, in my opinion, in a very correct manner, courageously and like a man,” Putin said.

When asked if he was ready for talks with Donald Trump, Putin replied: “We are ready, we are ready.”

Trump had already said on Thursday that he was willing to speak with Putin, telling NBC News: “I think we will speak.”

The Kremlin was widely accused of meddling in the 2016 presidential election to boost Donald Trump’s campaign against Hilary Clinton, claims rejected by Moscow.

US special counsel Robert Mueller investigated allegations of collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia in 2016, but said in a report three years later that no evidence of collusion had been found.

Elsewhere on Thursday, leaders meeting before the European Political Community in Budapest discussed Trump’s return to the White House.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a “very warm” and “productive conversation” with the newly elected president.

“But we must do everything we can to ensure that the results of our interaction between Ukraine and America, all of Europe and America, are productive and positive,” he added.

Many in Ukraine and Europe are concerned that Trump could slow, if not stop, the flow of U.S. military aid to Kiev after he takes power in January.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer assured Zelensky at the summit that British support for Ukraine in its war with Russia remains “iron-clad”.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban – who previously said he was celebrating Trump’s victory by “pleasantly tapping into the vodka supply” – said the US and Europe now face tough trade negotiations.

Orban, a close ally of Trump, told a news conference that “the trade issue will be raised with the US and it will not be easy.”

Before winning the election, Trump said he would impose 10% tariffs on all imports.

“There was an agreement that Europe would have to take greater responsibility for its own peace and security in the future. To put it even more bluntly, we cannot expect Americans to be the only ones to take care of us,” Orban said.