Putin Excludes Biden in New Year Greetings, Strengthens Ties with Xi and Kim

Dec 31, 2024, 06:30 AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended New Year and Christmas greetings to several foreign leaders, excluding U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders of 'unfriendly' countries, according to reports from the Kremlin. Putin sent messages to leaders including China's President Xi Jinping, North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Hungary's Viktor Orban, Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic, and Pope Francis. In his message to Xi, Putin emphasized that China and Russia 'always move forward hand in hand' along the right path of non-alliance and non-confrontation. Xi Jinping responded by pledging to promote 'world peace' and strengthen cooperation with Russia. Kim Jong Un sent a New Year's letter to Putin, calling him his 'dearest friend' and expressing hopes for Russia's victory over 'neo-Nazism' in 2025. He also pledged to further strengthen the strategic partnership and military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.