"No Deliveries to Unfriendly Countries"... Which World Leaders Received Putin's New Year Message?

Sent Only to Hungarian Prime Minister Among EU Leaders
Showcasing 'Partnership' with Chinese President Xi Jinping

Russian President Putin (left) and Hungarian Prime Minister Orban. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyun-jung] It has been reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not send New Year's greetings to the leaders of the United States and major European Union (EU) countries this year, unlike last year.

According to the list released on the Kremlin's website on the 31st (local time), President Putin sent New Year's greetings only to Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary, among the EU leaders. In the greeting sent to Prime Minister Orban, President Putin said, "Despite the complex international situation, the bilateral relationship maintains positive momentum."

Orban, a far-right leader who has been in long-term office since 2010, has maintained a close relationship with Russia, repeatedly blocking EU sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February.

Among leaders in the entire European region, Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i? and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko received New Year's greetings from Putin. Belarus is an ally of Russia, and Serbia is also a representative Russian-friendly country. Among major European politicians, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schr?der also received greetings from Putin.

The Kremlin previously stated in a briefing on the 30th that it would not send New Year's greetings to leaders of countries hostile to Russia, including U.S. President Joe Biden. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, "We are not actually communicating with these countries," and "Considering the hostile measures they have taken, the president will not send greetings."

Last year, President Putin sent greetings to major EU leaders such as then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, then Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, as well as U.S. President Biden.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo by Xinhua News Agency

Meanwhile, on the 30th, President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit via video conference and exchanged New Year's greetings on the 31st.

In the greeting sent to President Xi, President Putin evaluated, "Over the past year, the partnership between China and Russia has strengthened, and we have overcome external challenges and trials together." He added, "Through joint efforts, I believe we will elevate cooperation between the two countries to a higher level and provide greater welfare to the peoples of both nations."

In response, President Xi said, "2023 is the first year of fully implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and Sino-Russian relations will also face new development opportunities." He continued, "I hope to maintain close exchanges with President Putin and deepen strategic cooperation and practical cooperation in various fields to bring happiness to both countries and their peoples."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.