US Election: Putin finally congratulates Joe Biden

Russian President Vladimir Putin has finally congratulated Joe Biden on his victory in the U.S. presidential election.

Joe Biden’s presidential victory has been confirmed by Electoral College, meaning he will be the next US president.

California, the most populous state in the US, delivered its 55 electoral votes to Mr. Biden on Monday afternoon, officially taking him over the 270 votes needed to secure the White House.

All of the election’s most closely contested battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia cast their votes for Biden.

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 November 3 vote, reports Reuters.

“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.