Russian Prez Putin extends New Year greetings to Murmu, Modi, other global leaders

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin extended New Year greetings to world leaders including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

The greetings were for "Christmas and the upcoming New Year 2026", the Kremlin said in a statement.

The Russian president wished leaders of China and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, but skipped major European powers currently involved in what the Kremlin calls the ‘proxy’ war against Moscow through Ukraine.

However, exceptions were made for friendly NATO and EU members Hungary and Slovakia.

Among the European representatives, he congratulated the Prime Ministers of Hungary and Slovakia, Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico, as well as the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, the statement said.

December 30 is the last working day in Russia as the country goes into a long spell of New Year and Orthodox Christmas (celebrated on January 7) holidays till January 12.