Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulates Joe Biden on winning US election

The Kremlin had said earlier that the Russian president would hold off on congratulating Mr Biden until the winner was officially confirmed.

Russian president Vladimir Putin. Picture: Matt Cardy/PA

Russian president Vladimir Putin has congratulated Joe Biden on winning the US presidential election after weeks of holding out.

Mr Putin’s message to Mr Biden came a day after the Electoral College confirmed Mr Biden as the nation’s next president, ratifying his November victory in an authoritative state-by-state repudiation of President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede that he had lost.