Russian President Vladimir Putin had kind words for his “stablemate” Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE during an annual end-of-the-year Q-and-A session in Moscow.

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"He’s a really brilliant and talented person, without any doubt,” Putin told reporters, according to a translation by Interfax. "It’s not our job to judge his qualities, that’s a job for American voters, but he’s the absolute leader in the presidential race.”

Trump, the GOP presidential front-runner, has been blunt about his plans for defrosting U.S. relations with Russia should he be elected president.

"I would get along with him,” Trump previously said of Putin, adding, "I would get along with a lot of the world leaders that this country is not getting along with.”

At Thursday’s press conference, Putin seemed to support Trump’s claim.

“He says he wants to move on to a new, more substantial relationship, a deeper relationship with Russia, how can we not welcome that?” Putin said. "Of course we welcome that."