Putin has spoken previously of his hope that Trump will help restore U.S.-Russia relations, and analysts said he was unlikely to want to dial up anti-Western rhetoric before Trump's inauguration in January, Reuters wrote.
"Trump was an entrepreneur and a businessman. He is already a statesman, he is the head of the United States of America, one of the world's leading countries," NTV quoted Putin as saying in the interview on www.ntv.ru on Sunday.
Read alsoBritain expects Donald Trump to 'stand up' to Russia"Because he achieved success in business, it suggests that he is a clever man. And if (he is) a clever man, then he will fully and quite quickly understand another level of responsibility. We assume that he will be acting from these positions," Putin said.
Putin's comments appeared to address criticism from Trump's opponents who say his unconventional actions since the election – including railing at the cast of a Broadway show and early-morning invective on Twitter – show Trump is out of his depth.
