Trump congratulates Putin on his inauguration, hopes for good relations with Russia

The United States President Donald Trump congratulated his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on his swearing-in ceremony that took place Monday, May 7, as he became the Russian president for the fourth time.

The United States is hoping to have a 'good relationship with Russia, the White House said, as reported by Press Trust of India, Washington.

"The president congratulates him and looks forward to a time when we can hopefully have a good relationship with Russia. However, the United States believes that everyone has a right to be heard and assemble peacefully," the White House press secretary Sarah Sanders addressed the media on Monday.

While taking potshots at the Democrats for using the Russian investigation as an excuse for losing the presidential elections in 2016, Sanders further added: "I think he thinks that the idea that this narrative continues to be driven. The fact that, a year-and-a-half later, after spending almost all of your time, every single day, looking into this and still finding nothing, the fact that we're still talking about it and has the potential to impact the 2018 election." 

The Democratic National Committee had earlier filed a lawsuit against Trump's campaign, his son and the Russian Federation for conspiring to make Trump win the 2016 presidential elections, Associated Press reported.

"The point he's making is how ridiculous it is that we're still having this conversation and the depths to which this research has gone on and an investigation has been conducted and still produced nothing," Sanders added.

Putin became the president for the first time in 1999 and has been in power ever since. The 65-year-old world leader is in his fourth term as president and is on the verge of becoming the longest-serving Russian leader after Joseph Stalin. The elections in March witnessed Putin winning 77 percent of the votes in the polls.

"I consider it my duty and my life's aim to do everything possible for Russia, for its present and for its future. I feel strongly conscious of my colossal responsibility. As head of state I will do all I can to multiply the strength, prosperity, and fame of Russia," Putin was quoted as saying by PTI during his swearing-in ceremony.