Trump Praises Putin's Approach to Expulsion of Russian Diplomats from the U.S.

Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, welcomed Vladimir Putin's 'restraint' in response to Barack Obama's decision to expel Russian diplomats, stating he has always known that the Russian president is a smart individual. In reaction to the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the U.S., Putin said on Friday that he has decided not to retaliate and will wait to see how Donald Trump behaves towards Russia. Meanwhile, Trump tweeted on Friday: 'Great move to delay (by Putin) - I always knew he was very smart.' Barack Obama issued the order to expel 35 Russian diplomats on Thursday, December 29, and also imposed sanctions on three companies and two Russian intelligence agencies. The U.S. government and intelligence agencies accuse Vladimir Putin of personally directing efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, including cyberattacks against Democrats. Russian officials and Putin himself have previously denied these allegations. On Friday, Putin stated in a statement: 'We will not expel any (diplomats).' However, the Russian president emphasized that he reserves the right to retaliate. Putin added: 'Further steps regarding the restoration of U.S.-Russia relations will be based on the policies that the Trump administration will adopt.' Reuters reports that despite Trump having made several complimentary statements about Putin and appointing individuals with a positive approach towards Russia, it remains unclear whether he will reverse Obama's actions against Russia. Trump had previously dismissed a CIA report regarding Russian interference in the election. Nevertheless, he stated the day before that it is time for the country to address bigger and better issues. Trump also mentioned that he would meet with heads of intelligence and security agencies next week to be informed of the realities of the situation. While Trump will officially take the oath of office on January 20, Putin had previously expressed hope that his presidency would mark the beginning of a new chapter in U.S.-Russia relations.