Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Putin and Trump at the G20 summit in 2019. Photo: Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
Vladimir Putin's spokesman says the Kremlin will wait for an "official announcement" before commenting on the U.S. election — or congratulating President-elect Biden.
Why it matters: Most major world leaders congratulated Biden after the race was called on Saturday, just as Putin quickly congratulated Trump in 2016. But Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman, said this was a different situation due to the "legal procedures that have been announced by the current president."
- "We therefore think it appropriate to wait for an official announcement,” Peskov said.
- Russian media has seized on Trump's claims that the adoption is rigged to paint a general picture of democratic chaos, per the NYT.
- Trump's legal efforts could be a drawn out process, and are likely doomed to fail.
The big picture: Russia interfered in the 2016 election to boost Trump's chances, and U.S. intelligence found evidence of similar interference this time around. Biden has promised a more adversarial relationship with Russia and with Putin himself.
- Ahead of the election, Putin appeared to hedge his bets. He didn't ultimately agree to Trump's terms for extending the New START nuclear treaty — which would have given Trump a major pre-election win — preferring Biden's approach on that issue.
- “We will work with any future president of the United States — the one whom the American people give their vote of confidence,” Putin said last month.
What to watch: Biden and Putin are likely to clash over the next four years, but they'll have to start by making a deal.
- New START is set to expire two weeks after Biden takes office. It can be extended by mutual agreement of the two presidents.
Go deeper: World leaders congratulate Biden