interview with NTV TV.
Putin has
spoken previously of his hope that Trump will help restore U.S.-Russia
relations, and analysts said he was unlikely to want to dial up anti-Western
rhetoric before Trump's inauguration in January.
"Trump
was an entrepreneur and a businessman. He is already a statesman, he is the
head of the United States of America, one of the world's leading
countries," NTV quoted Putin as saying in the interview on www.ntv.ru on
Sunday.
"Because
he achieved success in business, it suggests that he is a clever man. And if
(he is) a clever man, then he will fully and quite quickly understand another
level of responsibility. We assume that he will be acting from these
positions," Putin said.
Putin's
comments appeared to address criticism from Trump's opponents who say his
unconventional actions since the election - including railing at the cast of a
Broadway show and early-morning invective on Twitter - show Trump is out of his
depth.
China lodged a
diplomatic protest on Saturday after Trump spoke by phone with President Tsai
Ing-wen of Taiwan, the first by a U.S. president-elect or president since Jimmy
Carter switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979,
acknowledging Taiwan as part of "one China".
Speaking about
Russia's relations with the West, Putin said attempts to create a unipolar
world had failed: "The situation is changing. I think it is not a secret
to anyone, everyone sees it, that many of our partners already prefer to stick
to principles of international law, because the world's balance is being
gradually restored."
Putin said
when building relationships with other countries, Russia would respect their
interests.
REUTERS
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