Putin showers praise on Trump

MOSCOW — Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had more words of praise for President Trump on Wednesday, but added that he was sorely disappointed with the U.S. political system, saying that it has been “eating itself up.”

Speaking in an interview with the Russian state television, Putin lavished Trump with praise, describing him as a great communicator.

“I have no disappointment at all,” Putin said when asked about the U.S. president. “Moreover, on a personal level he made a very good impression on me.”

The two leaders met on the sidelines of international summits last year. Putin praised Trump as a “balanced” man, who easily gets into the gist of various issues and listens to his interlocutor.

“It’s possible to negotiate with him, to search for compromises,” Putin added.

He also noted that he spent some time talking to Melania Trump when he sat next to her during an official dinner at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany in July. The Russian leader said he told her and the wife of the Italian premier “about Siberia and Kamchatka, about fishing ... about bears on Kamchatka and tigers in the Far East.”

Venting his frustration with the U.S. political system, Putin said “it has demonstrated its inefficiency and has been easting itself up.”

“It’s quite difficult to interact with such a system, because it’s unpredictable,” Putin said.

Speaking about the bitter tensions in RussiaWest relations, Putin said they have been rooted in Western efforts to contain and weaken Russia.

“We are a great power, and no one likes competition,” he said.