TOKYO, December 13. /TASS/. Russia supports the intentions of US president elect Donald J. Trump to improve relations between Moscow and Washington, President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Japan’s Nippon TV channel. "The US President-elect has publicly spoken in favour of normalising Russian-American relations," Putin said.

"We cannot but support this. Of course, we understand that it will not be an easy job, taking into account the degree to which Russian-American relations have degraded. But we are ready to cover our part of the way," Putin said. "I must admit that we have yet to understand how he will develop his idea, his pledge to make America great again, but I hope this will not hinder the development of our cooperation," the president said. "We are ready to meet at any time, this is no problem for us, but I believe we should be patient and wait for the complicated process of forming the new administration to be complete," the Russian president said. "We have to wait for him to take office and form his administration." Putin recalled that he only had a telephone conversation with Trump, whereas Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with him in person. "So, you should ask the Japanese Prime Minister what impression he has about the newly elected US President," Putin told reporters, noting that it is well known that the US President-elect has publicly spoken in favor of normalizing Russian-American relations.