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Donald Trump calls Putin to congratulate him on election victory, Kremlin says Trump calls Putin to congratulate him on election victory, says they will meet in the 'not too distant future'
(35 minutes later)
Donald Trump has called Russian president Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his landslide victory in a recent national election, the Kremlin said. Donald Trump has called Russian president Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on his landslide victory in a recent national election, but did not touch on the nerve-agent attack in Britain, the Kremlin said.
A press release from Mr Putin's office said the two leaders had talked on Tuesday "at the initiative of the American side". US officials said only that the two had talked. A press release from Mr Putin's office said the two leaders had talked on Tuesday "at the initiative of the American side". The two did not discuss the poisoning of a Russian double agent in Salisbury, which British officials have said was "highly likely" tied to the Kremlin, Mr Putin's press secretary told Interfax.
Mr Putin was re-elected as president of Russia on Sunday in a nearly 77 per cent vote – after his main election opponent was barred from running – setting him up for a fourth 6-year term as the most powerful politician in the country.  Mr Trump confirmed that the two had spoken, telling reporters at a press conference that he planned to meet with Mr Putin in the "not too distant future" to talk about the global rams race and tensions with North Korea. He did not mention the attack.
The president's office said he and Mr Trump had discussed the election victory, as well as combatting international terrorism and curtailing the global arms race. Mr Putin's  office said he and Mr Trump had discussed everything from terrorism to energy development. The call was "constructive, businesslike and focused on overcoming the accumulated problems in Russian-American relations," the Kremlin said in a statement.
"In general, the conversation was constructive, businesslike and focused on overcoming the accumulated problems in Russian-American relations," the Kremlin said in a statement. The call came shortly after British Prime Minister Theresa May chastised Mr Putin over the poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal. The Russian president has denied any involvement in the attack, which left Mr Skripal and his daughter in critical condition. But Ms May said on Monday there was "no other conclusion but the Russia state is culpable for what happened on the streets of Salisbury".
The call came shortly after British Prime Minister Theresa May chastised Mr Putin over the poisoning of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. Ms May expelled 23 Russian diplomats as a result of the poisoning, for which she said Moscow was "highly likely" to blame. She has expelled 23 Russian diplomats as a result.
Mr Trump has been more reserved in his comments, saying only that it "sounds like" Russian was behind the attack.
"As soon as we get the facts straight, if we agree with them, we will condemn Russia or whoever it may be," he told reporters last week.
Mr Putin was re-elected as president of Russia on Sunday in a nearly 77 per cent vote – after his main election opponent was barred from running – setting him up for a fourth 6-year term as the most powerful politician in the country. 
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