MOSCOW, Dec. 15 (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a letter of congratulations to Joe Biden following the latter's victory in the US presidential election, the Kremlin has said in a statement.
"In a telegram, Putin wished the President-elect every success and expressed confidence that Russia and the United States, which bear special responsibility for global security and stability, can really contribute to solving many problems and challenges that the world now faces despite their differences," the statement reads.
Putin also said in his message that Moscow was ready for collaboration with Biden administration, adding that "mutual respect-based cooperation" between the two countries "would serve the interests" not only of the US and Russia, but the whole world.
Democratic candidate Joe Biden was projected to win the US presidential election shortly after the 3 November, however, the incumbent president Donald Trump has challenged the results of the vote, citing claims of ballot tampering and illegal vote counting. The counting and certification of the vote was also delayed in some key battleground states across the country, including Georgia and Pennsylvania, due to mail-in voting rules, with the Trump campaign eventually filing numerous lawsuits to protest the projected results of the election.
However, President Trump said in the end of November that he would "certainly concede" to Joe Biden if Electoral College voters acknowledge his victory during their meeting on 14 December.
A number of world leaders have rushed to congratulate Joe Biden with victory in US presidential election in the mid-November following US media projections that he will secure enough electoral votes from American states to become the next occupant of the White House, including Canadian Prime Minister Jusin Trudeau, German chancellor Angela Merkel and Israeli PM Benhamin Netanyahu.
Many, however, did not want to be hasty with their congratulations until the election results were formally certified and confirmed by American electors.
