Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin shook hands with Joe Biden and congratulated on his victory in the US Presidential election. He was congratulated after he won the state-by-state Electoral College vote that officially determines the U.S. presidency, the Kremlin said.
The Kremlin had said it would wait for the official results of the election before commenting on its outcome, even as other nations congratulated Biden on the win in the days after the Nov. 3 vote. "For my part, I am ready for interaction and contact with you," the Kremlin cited Putin as saying in a statement.
"Putin wished the president-elect every success and expressed confidence that Russia and the United States, which have a special responsibility for global security and stability, could, despite their differences, really help to solve the many problems and challenges facing the world," the Kremlin said.
The Russian President noted that “the Russian-American cooperation based on the principles of Equality and mutual respect would meet the interests of people in both countries and the entire international community.