TheCable

President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Thursday said Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate, is an outstanding and talented man.

The controversial president, who was recently named Time magazine’s most influential man of 2015, said his country is willing to work with whoever wins the US presidency in 2016, adding that Trump is currently the absolute leader of race.

“He (Donald Trump) is a very outstanding man, unquestionably talented. It’s not up to us to judge his virtue, that is up to US voters, but he is the absolute leader of the presidential race,” Putin told journalists in Moscow.

“In any case, whoever is [new US president], we are ready and want to develop our relations with the United States.

“This is already, in principle, a wise position, we have supported it in every way and will support it.”

He added that his government would not play any role in the US election, but allow the US to decide its own election.

“They always try to tell us what we need to do in this country — whom to elect and whom not to elect, and according to what procedures. We never do this and we stay out of (their business).

According to TASS, Russian news agency, Putin hailed Trump’s remarks about readiness for a deeper level of relations with Russia if elected US president.

“He says he will want to reach another, deeper, level of relations (with Russia). What else can we do but to welcome it? Certainly, we welcome it.”

“It is none of our business to evaluate his accomplishments but he remains the absolute front-runner in the presidential race. He is an outstanding and talented personality without any doubts”.