Moscow/Washington, November 22: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday refused to recognize Joe Biden as US President-elect, according to Bloomberg. Vladimir Putin also defended Russia's decision to not congratulate Joe Biden for his victory in the US presidential elections, saying there were no ulterior motives. Putin is among the few world leaders who haven't congratulated Biden for getting elected as US President. China Refuses to Acknowledge Joe Biden's Victory in US Elections, Russia Maintains Silence.

"We will work with anyone who has the confidence of the American people," Putin said on Russian state TV, as reported by Bloomberg. "But that confidence can only be given to a candidate whose victory has been recognized by the opposing party, or after the results are confirmed in a legitimate, legal way." Notably, US intelligence agencies have accused Russia of interfering in the 2016 US election for getting Donald Trump elected. Vladimir Putin Plans to Quit as Russian President in January 2021 Amid Speculation That He is Suffering From Parkinson’s Disease: Reports.

Asked if Russia not recognising Biden's victory could damage relations between Moscow and Washington, Putin said: "There's nothing to damage, they are already ruined." Moscow has so far maintained an eerie silence on the victory of Biden. China and Iran, another two countries with which the US shares adversarial ties, have refrained from congratulating Biden.

A statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry earlier this month had stated that the winner of US presidential elections would be decided based on the "laws and procedures" in America. Tehran did not congratulate Biden but acknowledged the poll results by mocking Trump.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 22, 2020 09:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).