Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a session of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi, Russia, October 27, 2016. Sputnik/Kremlin/Mikhail Klimentyev via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes Moscow and Washington will be able to take real steps to improve relations after President-elect Donald Trump takes office, the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying in a New Year’s message to Trump.

Putin added that positive developments in relations between Russia and Britain would be mutually beneficial.