© Getty Images / Scott Olson; Getty Images / Russian Presidential Press and Information Office / Handout / Anadolu AgencyUS presidential pretender Joe Biden (L) Russian President Vladimir Putin (R)
Russian President Vladimir Putin won't congratulate Joe Biden on winning the US presidential election until the results are official, the Kremlin said on Monday, citing the possibility of court challenges.
Unlike many other world leaders, Putin has remained silent since the US media called the election in the Democratic candidate's favor and said Biden had achieved the necessary 270 Electoral College votes to clinch victory over the incumbent president, Donald Trump.
"Anticipating your possible question about Putin's congratulations to the US president-elect, I want to say the following:
we consider it proper to wait for the official results," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
In 2016, when Trump was elected, the Kremlin congratulated the New York-born businessman almost immediately
after the result became clear. According to Putin's spokesman, the circumstances are more complicated this time around. Four years ago, losing candidate Hillary Clinton conceded defeat, whereas Trump hasn't so far made such a move.
"The difference is quite obvious," Peskov explained. "The current president has announced certain legal procedures. This is what makes the situation different. Therefore, we believe it's right to wait for the official results of the elections to be announced."
The spokesman added that the Russian president is willing to work with whomever is crowned the victor, and hopes to establish a dialogue with the US.
The US presidential election was held on November 3. Due to slow counting and the high number of mail-in ballots received, the final vote tally is not yet known. However, according to all major US news networks, Joe Biden is the clear winner and cannot be superseded. In response, Trump has accused the Democrats of widescale fraud and, on Friday, declared the contest to be "far from over." He is expected to mount a legal challenge against the result.
On Saturday, Biden was congratulated by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Indian PM Narendra Modi, among others.
Comment: Putin is not the only leader
declining to legitimize the Biden "win":
China -- among a handful of major countries including Russia and Mexico that has not congratulated the President-Elect -- said Monday it had "noticed that Mr. Biden declared he is the winner of the election."
"Our understanding is that the outcome of the election will be determined in accordance with US laws and procedures," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told press at a regular briefing.
After declining to acknowledge Biden's victory despite repeated questions from reporters, Wang said: "We hope the new US government can meet China halfway."
Germany's
Angela Merkel had no such scruples, although with some subtle caveats, like 'we want you to not make us pay our share for NATO':
Merkel on Monday again congratulated Biden on his projected election, describing him as an experienced leader who knows Germany and Europe well. After the US election, Berlin will stand "side by side" with Washington on issues such as the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, and global terrorism, she stressed.
"We are allies in NATO, we share fundamental values ... and interests," the chancellor said.
However, as an important ally, the US expects Europe "to make stronger efforts to take care of our security and to stand up for our convictions in the world," she warned. "We Germans and we Europeans know that we have to take on more responsibility in this partnership in the 21st century."
Maas believes many matters would "get better" for Europe with Biden in the White House. In particular, the issue of NATO spending may not be in focus as much as it was under Trump.
Still, wise leaders hedge their bets over the outcome with
guarded gestures towards the Biden camp:
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has expressed hope that Joe Biden would end "interventionist" policies in South America and seek to fix relations with Caracas, which have deteriorated under Donald Trump.
"We will work, hopefully, to resume decent, sincere, direct channels of dialogue between the future government of Joe Biden and the legitimate and constitutional government of Venezuela," Maduro said in a televised speech on Sunday.
Donald Trump left a minefield between the government of the United States and Venezuela ... he left a swamp.
Maduro expressed hope that Biden would end US "interventionism" in South America. At the same time, the Venezuelan leader took a jab at the Barack Obama administration, in which Biden served as vice president. Obama "ruled for eight years and there was no significant change," Maduro stated. He added that, despite some "minor reforms," Obama's presidency acted "in service of the military and media apparatus of the North American empire."
Maduro earlier congratulated Biden and his running mate for vice president, Kamala Harris, and said that Caracas was "ready for dialogue and understanding" with the US.
Russian elder statesman
Mikhail Gorbachev had this to say:
Speaking to Russian news agency TASS, Gorbachev described Biden as a "person with extensive experience in both domestic and foreign politics," and declared his hope that, as president, Biden would lead Washington towards serious dialogue with the Kremlin.
"I hope that Joe Biden will strive to normalize relations and restore trust between our countries," Gorbachev said.
He noted that he had met with Biden on numerous occasions during the Democrat's tenure as vice president, and got the impression that he understands the importance of relations with Russia.
Seeing as Biden has not articulated any sort of foreign policy for his potential administration, no wonder so much of the world beyond the Atlanticist axis is being cautious.
Of course he's likely owned by the same people as us.