Putin Says Russia and US Share Responsibility for Global Security

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that Russia and the United States, as the two largest nuclear powers, share a responsibility for maintaining global security. According to the Kremlin, in a message sent to US President Donald Trump to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, Putin said the signing of the Declaration of Independence not only marked the birth of the United States but also became an important milestone in world history. Putin said Russia ‘gave unconditional support to the North American colonists in their struggle for freedom from British rule.’ The Russian leader also recalled that Moscow and Washington were allies in two world wars. ‘We were allies in two world wars. Together we liberated humanity from the horrors of Nazism, and then played a key role in laying the foundations of the modern world order,’ Putin said. ‘Today, Russia and the United States, as the two largest nuclear powers, bear a special responsibility for ensuring security and stability at the global level,’ he continued. Putin said he was confident that ‘constructive, equal, and mutually beneficial’ relations between Moscow and Washington would serve the interests of both countries and the broader international community.