President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia congratulated Joseph R. Biden Jr on Tuesday on having won the American presidential election — more than a month after the Democrat became the US President-elect.

Putin’s long delay in offering congratulations was widely viewed as a prelude to a frosty relationship between the Kremlin and Biden’s White House.

On Tuesday, after the Electoral College confirmed Biden’s victory, the Kremlin ended its wait and announced that Putin had sent the former vice-president a “congratulatory telegram” marking his “victory in the United States presidential election”.

“V. Putin wished the President-elect every success and expressed confidence that Russia and the US, given their responsibility for global security and stability, can, despite their differences, truly help solve many problems and challenges faced by the entire world,” it said.

Putin had been one of the last major holdouts among world leaders in congratulating Biden.

New York Times News Service