Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his greetings on Christmas and the New Year 2020 to heads of foreign states and governments, as well as leaders of international organisations.
In his greetings addressed to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, he emphasised the high level of Russian-Azerbaijani relations and expressed confidence that Russia and Azerbaijan would jointly ensure the further development of their strategic partnership and constructive interaction, which fully meets the interests of both nations, and contributes to strengthening security and stability in the South Caucasus and the Caspian region.
Extendeding New Year greetings to Armenian President Armen Sarkissian and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Putin pointing out that relations with Armenia, based on centuries-old traditions of fraternal friendship and mutual respect, are highly valued in Russia. Vladimir Putin noted that the further development of our allied ties, constructive bilateral cooperation in all spheres, and partnership in Eurasian integration processes meet the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two states and contribute to ensuring regional security and stability.
The President of Russia sent holiday greetings to President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. His message highlights that a significant anniversary was marked in 2019 – the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty establishing the Union State. Russia and Belarus have been able to do a lot to develop the entire range of bilateral ties and implement joint projects in various fields. The Russian leader expressed hope for the continuation of a substantive dialogue and constructive joint work in the coming year to develop the bilateral strategic partnership and promote mutually beneficial integration processes.
In his message to President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Putin noted the important fact that the two countries have not only fully preserved the accumulated potential of Russian-Kazakh relations, but also continue joint efforts to strengthen their strategic partnership, alliance and neighbourly contacts. According to the Russian President, the coordination of efforts between Moscow and Nur-Sultan as part of the Eurasian Economic Union, CSTO, SCO and other multilateral platforms has been very rewarding. Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that in the coming year, interaction between the two states would continue to develop even further.
Congratulating President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the Russian head of state noted with satisfaction the dynamic development of the dialogue between Russia and Turkmenistan, and their constructive trade, economic, energy, and humanitarian cooperation. Vladimir Putin emphasised that Turkmenistan’s successful chairmanship of the CIS has contributed to greater effectiveness of multilateral cooperation mechanisms within the CIS. The Russian leader expressed confidence that productive joint work to strengthen the two countries’ strategic partnership would continue in the coming year.
In addition, the Russian leader congratulated President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of Moldova Igor Dodon, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Abkhazia Raul Khadjimba, President of the Republic of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov.
In his message of greeting to President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping on the occasion of the New Year and the upcoming Spring Festival, Vladimir Putin noted that much has been done lately to strengthen the Russian-Chinese comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction, while the agreements reached in the wake of last year’s meetings opened up new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas. In particular, the Russian President pointed out that supplies of Russian gas to China via the eastern route were launched, and that the successful Region-to-Region Cooperation Years made it possible to expand mutually beneficial ties on the local level. The President noted that Russia attaches great importance to implementing the next major bilateral project, which is the Years of Russian-Chinese Scientific, Technical and Innovative Cooperation, and expressed his belief that joint efforts will help build up relations between Russia and China and expand their constructive interaction in international affairs.
In a greeting message to President of the United States of America Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin noted that Russia and the U.S. were historically responsible for ensuring global security and stability, and that Moscow speaks in favour of normalising bilateral relations and establishing an equal dialogue based on the mutual respect of interests. The President of Russia also reaffirmed his invitation to Donald Trump to visit Moscow to take part in the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
In his message of greetings to President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Bashar al-Assad, Putin reaffirmed his commitment to further developing relations of friendship and cooperation with Syria and confirmed his constant support for the country’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. He expressed hope that next year the final return of peace to Syria would become closer.
In addition, the Russian head of state congratulated President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez, President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Boris Johnson, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, President of the Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.
The Russian President sent greetings to Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Angela Merkel, Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia, President of Italy Sergio Mattarella and the country’s Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez and First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba Raul Castro, Reigning Prince of Monaco Albert II, President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Finland Sauli Niinistö, President of France Emmanuel Macron, President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman, Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven, President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, His Holiness Pope Francis.
The Russian president extended his greetings to a number of top officials at international organisations, in particular, UN Secretary-General Anthony Guterres, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva, President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge and Honorary Member of the International Olympic Committee Jean Claude Killy. The President also sent messages of greetings to President of the International Federation of Football Associations Gianni Infantino, President of the Union of European Football Associations Aleksander Ceferin, President of the International Ice Hockey Federation Rene Fasel and President of the International Judo Federation Marius Wizer.
In addition, Vladimir Putin sent greetings on Christmas and the New Year to a number of former heads of foreign states, in particular Nursultan Nazarbayev, Silvio Berlusconi, George W. Bush, Nicolas Sarkozy and Gerhard Schroeder.
