Putin will not congratulate Biden on US Independence Day after ‘unfriendly actions’

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not send his congratulations to his United States counterpart Joe Biden on Independence Day this year due to the country’s “unfriendly” policy towards Russia, Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

This year, the congratulatory telegram will not be sent,” Peskov said on a call with journalists.

“This has to do with the fact that this year marked the culmination of an unfriendly policy towards our country by the United States,” Peskov added, saying that “it can hardly be considered appropriate” to send congratulations in these conditions.

Putin and Biden had not spoken since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Peskov confirmed during a conference call last Thursday, CNN reports.