Putin hopes to resolve discord with US

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that he hopes the administration of incoming US President Joe Biden will work with Russia to resolve disagreements between their countries.

Putin told reporters at his annual end-of-year press conference that the two countries’ relations had become "hostage" to US domestic politics and said he hoped that some existing problems "will be resolved under the new administration". "We believe the US president-elect will sort things out because he has both domestic and foreign policy experience," the Russian leader said. Putin was one of the last leaders of major world countries to congratulate Biden on winning the November US presidential elections.

Biden is expected to take a tougher stand against Russia than outgoing US President Trump, who he slammed during the campaign for having "embraced so many autocrats around the world, starting with Putin".