【Pilar Coll】

Somewhere within the Kremlin,Pilar Coll Russian President Vladimir Putin is crossing his fingers and toes that American voters will bless him with a President Donald Trump. 

Not really. But maybe. 

Putin, speaking on June 17 at the Russian Economic Forum in his hometown of St. Petersburg, called the presumptive Republican nominee a "bright" guy and expressed appreciation for his ideas. 

Putin previously hinted at a budding authoritarian bromance during his annual year-end press conference in December. At that time, Putin called Trump "the absolute leader of the presidential race" and "an outstanding and talented personality."

Trump responded that it was "a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond," according to Politico.

Several months later, Trump told reporters  "I believe I would get along very well with Vladimir Putin."

Perhaps that belief is rooted in some of the things they have in common, such as really disliking President Barack Obama, wanting to restore their respective nations to a conservative idea of former dominance, or never having run for political office before they ran for president.

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