Does Putin like Donald Trump, why have the US sent special forces troops to the Russian border and will relations improve?
RUSSIAN leader Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump on winning the US Presidential election.
The warm reception from the Russian president suggests relations will be friendly between the two countries, or at least the two men.
However, with tensions between Russia and America rising in the build up to Trump's inauguration, President Obama has deployed special forces troops along Russia's border with Lithuania.
Lithuania's Defence Ministry Asta Galdikaite said the US has offered additional military support following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
She added: “US Special Operations Forces presence in Lithuania is one of the deterrents” against military threats by Putin’s aggressive regime, reports the Express.
US military chief General Raymond T Thomas said many former Eastern Bloc countries are “scared to death” of Russia and the vulnerable states are “desperate” for America’s leadership.
The US and its Nato allies will reportedly send battalions of up to 1,200 to each of the three Baltic states – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – and Poland by spring 2017.
Relations between the outgoing Obama administration and Russia soured following allegations that Putin ordered the email hack which helped scupper Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.
Will the tensions between the two nations improve when Trump takes the presidency? Here's what we know:
What will Russia and America's relationship look like with Trump in charge?
In a statement after Trump's dramatic US election victory, the Kremlin said Putin expressed "his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state" in a message to Trump.
Relations had previously been frosty with the US recently suspending talks with Russia on implementing a ceasefire and accusing Moscow of not living up to its commitments.
Various figures, including President Barack Obama, have been critical of Russia and Putin's conduct.
However, with Trump at the helm, things could look very different.
He has expressed admiration for Putin in the past for his "very strong control" over Russia.
The Russian leader has called Trump "brilliant" and praised his personality in the past.
Trump has said he does not like the system of how Russia is run, but that he believes Putin is a better leader than President Obama.
He has said he feels the pair would get along, and it seems Putin feels the same.
Despite this, following the US election Putin said Russia needs to bolster its military potential, before Trump tweeted the US needed to "strengthen and expand" its nuclear capability, threatening a new cold war era.
However, Trump's supportive tweet for his 'very smart' counterpart's response to Obama ejecting Russia's spies suggested the new POTUS will attempt to patch up relations with Moscow.
Why does Putin like Trump?
Putin was asked in April who would be worse for Russia, Hillary Clinton or Trump, and he answered that he was looking for those who are better for Russia not worse.
He says he wants to build good relations with America and has said Trump made statements about his readiness to restore relations between the two countries.
The Popular Front, a political movement founded by Putin in 2011, took note of Trumps victory and Putin's alleged hand in the election.
The group tweeted: "They say that Putin once again beat all."
Russian media has generally been kinder to Trump, with Clinton portrayed as an old foe.
Vadim Tyulpanov, member of the Russian Senate, told Moscow’s Life News that Americans were tired of overly aggressive leaders, and that a Trump victory could lead to collaboration between the former Cold War foes.
The State Duma in the Kremlin broke out in applause as the news came in the 70-year-old had beaten Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton.
What happened on election night?
Trump defeated the Democrat nominee Clinton in the early hours of November 9, to the tune of his campaign slogan promising to “make America great again”.
He defeated Clinton, taking 276 against her 218 electoral college votes, in a historic victory.
The battle to take the seat in the Oval Office was blighted by scandals from both parties, rocking each candidate’s campaign almost constantly.
After he was officially named by the Republican Party as their front-runner he gained momentum and support by appealing to the 'every-day American' and making sweeping statements about how he would improve the country.
In his first address as President elect after a bitter campaign, Trump struck a unifying tone in front of crowds cheering “USA, USA”. He said it was “time for America to bind the wounds of division”.
He said: “I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important for me.”
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