Moscow, Dec. 20 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that European elites are counting on the upcoming midterm elections in the United States, hoping for a political shift that could bring Washington's traditional allies back to power and increase pressure on US President Donald Trump, Russia Today reported.

Putin made the remarks during his annual "Direct Line" end-of-year press conference held in Moscow, a four-and-a-half-hour question-and-answer session with citizens and journalists.

The next midterm elections in the United States are scheduled for November 3, 2026, and will take place during President Trump's second term. Voters will elect all 435 members of the US House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 members of ...