Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke highly of U.S. President Donald Trump at a news conference in Beijing Wednesday, despite the latter accusing him of plotting against the U.S on social media.

Referring to earlier comments made by Trump on Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un conspiring against the United States, the Russian leader told journalists that “the President of the United States is not without a sense of humour.”

“Over these four days, during negotiations of all kinds, both in formal and informal settings, no one has ever expressed any negative judgments on the current American administration,” Putin said.

He also said that everyone with whom he had spoken during his visit to China had supported the American and Russian leaders' meeting in Anchorage, and expressed their hope that negotiations would end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On the topic of Ukraine, Putin expressed approval of Trump's position, saying "We see the mood in the U.S. administration under the leadership of President Trump, and we see not just calls, but a sincere desire to find this solution."

"It seems to me that there is a certain light at the end of the tunnel," he said, but warned "Let's see how the situation develops. If not, then we will have to solve all the tasks set before us by force of arms."

A month ago, Trump dropped his demand for Russia to accept a ceasefire and said it was best to focus on a comprehensive peace deal — an approach that Putin has pushed for.

Putin also reacted to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz calling him a "war criminal," saying that it was "an unsuccessful attempt to shirk responsibility" for the tragedy in Ukraine.

On Tuesday, German media aired an interview by Merz where he said that Putin was "perhaps the most serious war criminal of our time."

Putin was in Beijing for China’s military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization two days earlier, two gatherings which could be read as a striking, maybe even defiant, message to the United States and its allies.