Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Joe Biden on Tuesday, on winning the US presidential election in November, saying he hoped the countries could set aside their differences to promote global security.
Putin wished the US president-elect every success and said that, “for my part, I am ready for collaboration and contacts with you,” according to a Kremlin statement.
The Russian president was one of the last remaining leaders of major world countries to have held back on congratulating Biden, who was confirmed as the next US president by the Electoral College on Monday.
Officials in Moscow, including the country’s elections chief and foreign minister, had initialy criticised the US elections process, describing it as obsolete and not representative of the will of the people.
In his congratulatory telegram to Biden, Putin said that their countries “bear special responsibility for global security and stability.”
He further said he was confident that Russia and the United States could, “despite their differences, really contribute to solving many problems and challenges that the world is currently facing.”
