U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says he and Russian President Vladimir Putin would like to meet as soon as he takes office.

“I know he (Putin) wants to meet, and I’m going to meet him very quickly.

“I would have done it sooner, but you have to get into the office. For some of the things, you do have to be there,’’ Mr Trump told the Newsmax broadcaster in an interview.

In early January, Mr Trump declined to say when he would meet with Mr Putin but said such a meeting would not be appropriate before his inauguration on January 20.

On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were no substantive preparations for a meeting with Mr Trump yet, but there was political will, as “such contacts would be very, very necessary and advisable.’’

On Sunday, Mr Trump’s National Security Adviser Designate Mike Waltz said that the two leaders could hold a phone conversation in the coming days or weeks.

A presidential election took place in the U.S. on November 5, 2024.

Mr Trump, who served as the U.S. president from 2017 to 2021, was declared the winner by all leading race callers and networks.

Democratic candidate Vice-President Kamala Harris conceded defeat.

The Electoral College voted on December 17, 2024, while the new Congress approved the results of the vote on January 6.

The presidential inauguration will take place on January 20.

(RIA/NAN)