Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday praised US President-elect Donald Trump as an “intelligent and experienced” politician capable of finding “solutions,” as tensions between Moscow and the West ramp up over the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised President-elect Donald Trump as “intelligent” on Thursday, congratulating him for winning the election and saying he believes Trump “will find a solution” to the Ukraine-Russia war.

Vladimir Putin was greeted with a display of a Ukrainian flag while visiting Kazakhstan for a summit where he is expected to discuss the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine's flag - with its horizontal bands of blue and yellow - briefly appeared late on Wednesday instead of the Russian white, blue and red tricolor on a screen located on one of Astana's main thoroughfares.

By Lidia Kelly and Tamara Vaal ASTANA (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Kazakhstan on Wednesday, and discussed boosting energy and industry ties and easing a row over farm goods with the Central Asian nation which exports most of its oil through Russia but is exploring alternatives.