Trump has an opportunity to emulate President Ronald Reagan who won the Cold War by breaking the Russian economy. The Russian economy is a house of straw, one hard push and it will fall down. The country is vulnerable to economic crises. New sanctions or a drop in oil and natural gas prices could trigger a recession.

Donald Trump said talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin were in the works and while the president-elect provided no timeline, he stressed that his preference would be for after his Jan. 20 inauguration.

President-elect Trump said late Thursday that a meeting is in the works with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. Why it matters: Trump said on the campaign trail that he would swiftly end the nearly three-year-old war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office.

Ahead of Trump's inauguration on January 20, the President-elect has said he is planning a meeting with Russia's leader, which the Kremlin has denied.

Kremlin acknowledges Trump's claims of a meeting with Putin, suggesting mutual interest in dialogue. They believe progress will commence after his inauguration.

President-elect of the USA, Donald Trump, said on Thursday that he is preparing a meeting with Vladimir Putin, and Putin wants to meet with him. "We have to get that war over with," he declared. – President Putin wants to meet.

President-elect Donald Trump said a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is being set up, raising the prospect that the incoming US leader could push to start negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.