In a New Year letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on the most extensive agenda, and Russia-US relations are the most important factor behind ensuring strategic stability and international security.
Vladimir Putin sent Christmas and New Year greetings to heads of state and government and heads of international organisations.
Putin also sent a message to President of the Syrian Arab Republic Bashar al-Assad, in which he stressed that Russia will continue to provide all-round assistance to the government and people of Syria in their fight against terrorism and efforts to protect state sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Putin also sent New Year greetings to world leaders including U.K. prime ministers Theresa May and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In his message to President of the Republic of Abkhazia Raul Khadjimba, Vladimir Putin noted that the outgoing year marked the 10th anniversary of Abkhazia's recognition by the Russian Federation and expressed confidence in the continued expansion of bilateral relations of alliance and strategic partnership for the benefit of the two countries' fraternal peoples in the interest of strengthening peace and ensuring stability in the Caucasus.
Vladimir Putin also sent greetings to President of the Republic of Armenia Armen Sarkissian and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.
The Russian President stressed that the two countries' bilateral relations are based on centuries-old traditions of friendship and cultural and spiritual affinity and expressed confidence in the further strengthening of allied ties, constructive cooperation and partnership between Russia and Armenia as part of Eurasian integration processes, which fully meet the interests of the two states' fraternal peoples and serve to enhance regional stability and security.
In a message to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the President of Russia noted that 2018 was a highly productive year for Russia-Azerbaijan relations and pointed out advances in mutually beneficial cooperation across various spheres and political dialogue at all levels.
The Russian leader also expressed confidence that the implementation of the bilateral agreements signed during the substantive and constructive talks in Moscow, Sochi and Baku will further enhance the strategic partnership between Russia and Azerbaijan.
In his greetings to President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Russia noted that based on good traditions of friendship and neighbourly relations, Russian-Belarusian cooperation is going from strength to strength in the political, economic, cultural and other spheres, and that efforts are being undertaken to strengthen the Union State and to ensure close coordination of the efforts within the Eurasian Economic Union, the CIS and the CSTO.
Vladimir Putin also expressed confidence that further strengthening of the strategic partnership between Russia and Belarus fully meets the interests of the two brotherly nations.
The President heartily wished Mr Lukashenko good health, prosperity and success, and all Belarusian citizens happiness and prosperity.
Addressing President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Russia stressed that the Russian-Kazakhstani strategic partnership and alliance are developing dynamically and that the trade, economic, energy, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation is expanding, with interregional cooperation on the rise as well. "Moscow and Astana play an active role in promoting integration processes in the Eurasian space," the Russian leader noted.
Vladimir Putin also expressed confidence that implementing the ambitious plans seeking to build up the entire range of Russian-Kazakhstani relations would enhance the well-being of the brotherly nations and serve the interests of ensuring regional stability and security.
In a message addressed to President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sooronbay Jeenbekov, the Russian leader praised the alliance and strategic partnership between Russia and Kyrgyzstan and expressed confidence that the joint work to build up the entire complex of bilateral relations and strengthen constructive cooperation within the framework of the Eurasian integration processes will continue in the interests of the two countries' peoples and the entire region.
In his greetings to President of the Republic of Moldova Igor Dodon, the President of Russia expressed hope that the traditions of friendship and spiritual affinity that bind the peoples of the two countries will continue to serve as the basis for promoting constructive cooperation between Russia and Moldova and partnership within the CIS space.
Vladimir Putin also sent greetings to President of the Republic of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov, in which he noted that the outgoing year was marked by an important event: the 10th anniversary of Russia's recognition of South Ossetia's independence. The President of Russia expressed confidence that further development of Russia-South Ossetia relations in the spirit of alliance and mutually beneficial partnership is in the interests of the fraternal peoples of the two countries and in line with the strengthening of peace and stability in South Caucasus.
In a message to President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, Vladimir Putin noted the dynamic development of Russia-Tajikistan relations in the spirit of alliance and strategic partnership and expressed confidence in the success of joint work seeking to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the political, trade, economic, cultural and many other areas, as well as to resolve important issues on the regional agenda for the benefit of the friendly peoples of the two countries in the interests of ensuring security and stability in Central Asia.
Addressing President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the President of Russia emphasised that the recent entry into force of the Treaty on Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan has opened up new opportunities for strengthening mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in political, trade, economic, energy, cultural and many other areas and, undoubtedly, meets the aspirations of the friendly peoples of the two countries.
In his greetings to President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Vladimir Putin stressed that Russia-Uzbekistan relations of strategic partnership and alliance are thriving. "The talks in Tashkent contributed to expanding bilateral cooperation in the political, trade, economic, investment and military-technical spheres, as well as agriculture and peaceful use of nuclear energy," the Russian President noted.
Vladimir Putin also expressed confidence that through joint efforts Russia and Uzbekistan will be able to continue to successfully build up mutually beneficial ties across all areas, which fully meets the interests of the two countries and contributes to consolidating peace, security and stability in the Central Asian region.
In a message of greetings to President of the Argentine Republic Mauricio Macri, the Russian leader stressed that the recent talks in Buenos Aires fully reaffirmed the friendly and constructive nature of Russia-Argentina relations. Vladimir Putin also expressed confidence that the implementation of the agreements reached will contribute to the further expansion of the entire range of bilateral relations in the spirit of a comprehensive strategic partnership and in the interests of strengthening international security and stability.
The President of Russia sent greetings to President of the Federative Republic of Brazil Michel Temer and President-elect of the Federative Republic of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro. In connection with the end of Michel Temer's tenure as head of state, Vladimir Putin expressed his gratitude for constructive cooperation and mutual understanding between the two leaders during the period of joint work, and highly praised his efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Addressing Jair Bolsonaro, the Russian leader noted that relations between Russia and Brazil are productively developing in the spirit of strategic partnership as the countries are cooperating in politics, trade, the economy, energy and culture and are coordinating their efforts in addressing important regional and global matters.
Vladimir Putin also reaffirmed his readiness to work together in order to build up cooperation between Russia and Brazil, both with regard to the bilateral and international agenda, including in BRICS, where Brazil will preside next year.
The Russian President also congratulated Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the occasion of his birthday and wished him Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, wishing him and the people of Canada happiness and prosperity.
Vladimir Putin sent New Year and the upcoming Spring Festival greetings to President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping. "The relations of comprehensive trust-based partnership and strategic interaction between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China have reached an unprecedented level," the message says.
The President of Russia stressed the existence of an ongoing substantive political dialogue, the dynamic growth of bilateral trade, the successful launch of the reciprocal years of region-to-region cooperation and the good results of coordinating the efforts by Moscow and Beijing in addressing important regional and global issues. The Russian leader also expressed confidence that effective joint work on the bilateral and international agenda will continue in the coming year, which will mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
Vladimir Putin wished Xi Jinping good health, happiness and every success, and the friendly Chinese people happiness and prosperity.
Vladimir Putin sent Christmas and New Year greetings to President of the Republic of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, in which he noted her personal focus on matters of bilateral cooperation, largely due to which relations between Russia and Croatia are developing in a constructive manner, and expressed his conviction that, by joint efforts, they will be able to further strengthen mutually beneficial Russia-Croatia ties for the benefit of the two countries and all of Europe.
In his messages of greetings to Chairman of the State Council and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez and First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba Raul Castro on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Cuban revolution, as well as Christmas and New Year, the President of Russia stressed that Cuba is Russia's strategic partner and reliable ally.
In his greeting message to President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman, the Russian leader praised his efforts to preserve constructive relations between the two countries and expressed confidence that further development of cooperation based on mutual respect and mutual benefit meets the aspirations of the peoples of Russia and the Czech Republic and serves to strengthen stability and security in Europe.
In his message to President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö, Vladimir Putin stressed that the recent meetings between the two leaders in Helsinki and Sochi were indicative of the successful and dynamic development of neighbourly Russian-Finnish relations, and expressed hope for continued joint work to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in politics, trade, economy, culture and other areas.
The President of Russia also sent Christmas and New Year greetings to President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron. "Russian-French relations have great potential, which was confirmed by our recent meetings and talks," the Russian President said in his message. "I count on our continued joint work to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries in various spheres, as well as to resolve important issues on the regional and global agenda."
In his message to Federal President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, the President of Russia noted the significant experience of cooperation between the two countries in various spheres and expressed hope for continued joint work on the bilateral and international agendas next year, in particular, the successful implementation of major joint projects in the economy, culture, science and education. Vladimir Putin stressed that Russian-German cooperation is of great importance not only for the peoples of the two countries, but for the rest of Europe as well.
The President of Russia also sent a message of greetings to Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Alexis Tsipras in which he expressed appreciation for a thorough exchange of views on bilateral and international issues that took place during the Greek leader's recent visit to Moscow. "I am convinced that the interests of the peoples of Russia and Greece, united by centuries-old traditions of cultural and spiritual affinity, will be best served by further strengthening the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in politics, the economy, culture and other spheres," the message reads.
In his greetings to Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, the Russian President noted that significant progress has been achieved in Russia-Hungary relations and new frontiers of cooperation have been reached. He also stressed that he counts on continued joint efforts to strengthen bilateral ties in various areas.
In his New Year greeting messages to President of the Republic of India Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi, the President of Russia emphasised that Russia-India relations are developing in a constructive and dynamic manner, and the agreements reached at the October summit in New Delhi contribute to strengthening privileged strategic partnership between our countries.
Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that joint efforts will lead to further growth of mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas and greater coordination of efforts on key issues on the regional and global agenda within the UN, BRICS, the SCO, the G20 and other multilateral bodies.
In his greeting message to Prime Minister of the State of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin noted that the two countries have gained considerable experience in cooperation in various spheres and expressed hope that in the upcoming year Russian-Israeli relations will be developing in a constructive manner as a partnership for the benefit of the peoples of both states and in the interest of strengthening peace, security and stability in the Middle East.
In his greeting messages to President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Giuseppe Conte, the President of Russia noted that the recent talks in Moscow confirmed the importance of Russian-Italian cooperation in strengthening security and stability in Europe.
The Russian leader stressed that Russia attaches great importance to maintaining constructive partnership relations with Italy and implementing mutually beneficial joint projects in trade, the economy, investment, energy, culture and other areas. Vladimir Putin expressed hope that the multifaceted bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the two nations and in the interests of strengthening security and stability in Europe will expand in 2019.
In his heartfelt New Year greeting to Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, the President of Russia stressed that Russian-Japanese relations have significant potential, which was fully confirmed during recent meetings and talks between the leaders of the two countries. "I am counting on continued constructive dialogue, including on expanding the legal framework for bilateral cooperation and implementing joint economic projects in Russia's Far East, as well as on international matters, in particular, with due account of Japan's presidency of the G20," Vladimir Putin noted in his message.
In his address to President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in, the President of Russia noted that the substantive talks held in Moscow and Singapore gave a significant impetus to constructive bilateral ties in various areas. Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that, building on existing achievements, joint efforts will lead to further strengthening of interaction between Russia and the Republic of Korea and close coordination in addressing important regional and international issues, which undoubtedly meets the interests of the two countries' peoples and is in line with the efforts to consolidate peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia in general.
In his Christmas and New Year greeting to Prince Albert II of Monaco, the President of Russia expressed hope that Russia-Monaco cooperation will be enriched with new exciting joint initiatives and projects in 2019.
In the New Year greetings to President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, the Russian President noted the dynamic development of bilateral relations in the spirit of strategic partnership and expressed confidence that the upcoming meeting in Belgrade will serve to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Serbia across various spheres.
The Russian leader wished Aleksandar Vucic, his family and friends happiness, good health and success, and the fraternal people of Serbia happiness and prosperity.
In his address to President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor, the President of Russia noted that Russia-Slovenia relations are developing in a constructive manner, in particular, cooperation in trade, the economy and culture is expanding, and the cross seasons of culture were a success. The Russian President also expressed his belief that further strengthening of bilateral ties is in the interests of the two countries' peoples.
In his message of greetings to President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, the Russian leader stressed that Russia-South Africa relations were developing dynamically in various spheres in 2018, which was fully confirmed by the leaders' talks in Johannesburg. "Russia and South Africa together make a significant contribution to building a fair, democratic system of international relations," the message says.
Vladimir Putin also expressed confidence in continued joint work to build up bilateral ties in the spirit of strategic partnership and effective coordination of efforts within the UN, the G20, BRICS and other multilateral organisations, which meets the core interests of the two nations and contributes to consolidating regional and global security.
The President of Russia sent his heartfelt wishes of happiness, prosperity and success to King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, other members of the royal family and all Spanish people, stressing that he hopes the Russian-Spanish friendship and mutual respect will develop constructively in the coming 2019 for the benefit of the peoples of the two states and entire Europe.
The President of Russia sent New Year greetings to President of the Turkish Republic Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which he noted that he was pleased with the auspicious development of Russia-Turkey relations.
The President also sent greetings to Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Prime Minister Theresa May, in which he wished them and their family members good health, happiness and every success, and the British people well-being and prosperity.
In a Christmas and New Year greeting message to President of the United States of America Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin stressed that Russia-US relations are the most important factor behind ensuring strategic stability and international security, and reaffirmed that Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on the most extensive agenda.
In his Christmas and New Year greetings to His Holiness Pope Francis, Vladimir Putin expressed hope for further strengthening of the relations between Russia and the Vatican in order to protect universal values, to uphold the ideals of justice and peace in the world and to promote dialogue between various religions.
In a message to President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, the President of Russia noted that recent talks in Moscow confirmed the proximity of the two countries' positions on key issues of the international agenda and made it possible to outline steps to expand mutually beneficial cooperation. The Russian leader expressed confidence that the agreements reached would further strengthen strategic partnership between Russia and Venezuela.
The President also sent New Year greetings to General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong. Vladimir Putin noted in the message that the relations between our countries have reached a high level that was fully confirmed during the Vietnamese leader's recent visit to Russia.
The President also expressed his belief that successful implementation of major joint projects in various fields, as well as the planned Year of Russia in Vietnam and Year of Vietnam in Russia will further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two states.
The President of the Russian Federation also sent greetings to a number of leaders of international organisations, in particular, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, honorary member of the International Olympic Committee Jean-Claude Killy, President of the International Ice Hockey Federation Rene Fasel and President of the International Judo Federation Marius Vizer.
In addition, the Russian leader wished Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, thanking him for his assistance in preparing and hosting the World Cup in Russia - an event that became, according to the message, "a true celebration for millions of football fans around the world."
Vladimir Putin also sent greetings to a number of former heads of state and government and political figures, in particular, Almazbek Atambayev, Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, Silvio Berlusconi, George W. Bush, Romano Prodi, Nicolas Sarkozy, Francois Fillon, Tarja Halonen, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, and Gerhard Schröder.
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