''Donald Trump will be next US president'': Putin's close friend.

Russia: Sergei Roldugin, a childhood friend of Russia president Vladimir Putin on Thursday said he believes US Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump will win the US presidential election in November adding that Western leaders are no match for Putin.

Roldugin, 64 who is also the godfather to Putin's eldest daughter, made headlines internationally earlier this year after his name was mentioned in the leaked Panama Papers as the owner of a sprawling network of offshore accounts.

Speaking in the Kremlin before he was bestowed with a state award by Putin, Roldugin said:

"I know who will win in America. You may check it later. Trump will win."

Roldugin went further to insist that politicians changed their behaviour once they come take over power.

"I can't say I feel euphoria about Trump winning because he said he was with Putin and Hillary Clinton hasn't said that. Putin has said he will work with either and he's right."

Roldugin added that Putin was a more better leader than his various Western counterparts, mentioning German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, and US President Barack Obama as being guilty of not taking responsibility and of concealing the true nature of agreements they had struck.