Russia’s President Putin congratulates Joe Biden on U.S. election victory

FILE PHOTO: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden during their meeting in Moscow March 10, 2011.

Alexander Natruskin | Reuters

It’s taken a while, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has now congratulated President-elect Joe Biden on his victory, the Kremlin announced Tuesday, a day after the U.S. Electoral College voted to clinch the Democrat’s defeat of President Donald Trump.

Putin sent a telegram to Biden to congratulate him, the Kremlin said.

“Putin wished every success to the president-elect and expressed confidence that Russia and the U.S., who bear special responsibility for global security and stability, can facilitate resolution of many problems and challenges faced by the world now despite disagreements,” the Kremlin said.

“Russian-American cooperation, based on the principles of equality and mutual respect, would meet the interests of both nations and the entire international community,” Putin added, according to the Kremlin.

“For my part, I am ready for interaction and contacts with you,” Putin said.

On Monday, the Electoral College voted to cement Biden’s victory in November’s hotly contested election.

Although the Electoral College vote is typically a formality following a presidential election, it bore more significance this time, given Trump’s unsuccessful legal attempts to overturn the ballot results and unsubstantiated claims of voting irregularities.

Putin’s message of congratulations to Biden will be another blow to the Trump administration. Unlike its European neighbors who sent Biden their messages of congratulations immediately following his election win, Moscow had held off.

Following the Nov. 3 vote, Russia said it would not comment on the election until the official result was released and that Moscow had noted Trump’s announcement of legal processes related to the vote.