MOSCOW (AP) - Russian officials and lawmakers are lauding Donald Trump's inauguration as a start of what they hope will be a period of better ties with the United States.
Trump's promises to fix the ravaged relations with Moscow have elated Russia's political elite amid spiraling tensions with Washington over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and other issues.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that while it's not clear what course Trump will take after Friday's inauguration, "we are ready to do our share of the work in order to improve the relationship."
Medvedev, who served as Russian president in 2008-2012 when Vladimir Putin had to shift into the premier's seat due to term limits, sharply criticized Barack Obama's administration for relying on "brute force and sheer pressure" in its dealings with Russia.