Trump congratulates Putin on reelection, intl issues discussed in phone call

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday congratulated Vladimir Putin on his win in Sunday’s presidential election in Russia, the Kremlin said. The two presidents held a phone conversation and spoke in favor of developing of a practical interaction in various areas, including the issues of strategic stability and combating international terrorism and emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts in limiting the arms race, according to the statement. It said Putin and Trump also discussed North Korea, Syria, and Ukraine, while the conversation was focused on overcoming problems in bilateral relations. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov was quoted as saying on Tuesday he hoped Putin’s win would lead to a thaw in the US-Russia relationship.