MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent his best New Year and Christmas wishes to the leaders of a number of European countries, the Kremlin press service said on Sunday.
In a greeting message to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the Russian president noted that the relations between the two countries have reached serious progress and stressed that he hopes joint efforts will be continued to consolidate ties in various spheres.
In his message to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Putin expressed thanks for the substantial exchange of opinions on bilateral and international issues that took place during the Greek leader’s recent visit to Moscow. "I am convinced that further consolidation of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in the political, economic, humanitarian and other spheres is in the interests of the Russian and Greek peoples, which are united by centuries-long traditions of cultural and spiritual kinship," Putin said in his message.
In the greeting messages to Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, the Russian leader noted that the recent Moscow talks confirmed the importance of the Russian-Italian cooperation for peace and stability on the European continent. Putin stressed that Russia attaches great significance to efforts towards maintaining constructive and partnership relations with Italy and to the implementation of mutually beneficial joint projects in the trade-and-economic, investment, energy, humanitarian and other spheres. The Russian president expressed the hope that in 2019 the two countries will expand their comprehensive bilateral cooperation for the benefit of their peoples and in the interests of security and stability in Europe.
Apart from that, Putin sent his seasonal greetings to Italy’s former Prime Ministers, Silvio Berlusconi and Romano Prodi.
In his New Year message to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, the Russian leader hailed the dynamic development of bilateral relations in the spirit of strategic partnership and expressed confidence that their forthcoming meeting in Belgrade will help further expand mutually advantageous cooperation between Russia and Serbia in various areas. Putin wished Vucic, his family and friends happiness, health and success, and prosperity and wealth to the brotherly Serbian people.
In a message to Slovenian President Borut Pahor, the Russian head of state noted that bilateral relations are developing constructively, with closer cooperation in the trade-and-economic and humanitarian spheres. The Russian president also expressed confidence that further strengthening of bilateral ties meets the interests on the two countries’ peoples.
In his message to Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Putin stressed that their recent meetings in Helsinki and Sochi demonstrated successful and dynamic development of the good neighborly relations between Russia and Finland and expressed the hope that further efforts will be taken to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, trade-and-economic, humanitarian and other spheres. Putin also sent seasonal greetings to Finland’s former President Tarja Halonen.
The Russian president also extended Christmas and New Year greetings to Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. He hailed her personal attention to issues of bilateral cooperation, thanks to which relations between Russia and Croatia are developing constructively, and expressed confidence that joint efforts will make it possible to expand mutually beneficial bilateral ties for the good of the two countries’ peoples and entire Europe.
The Russian leader also sent seasonal greetings to Czech President Milos Zeman. He highly assessed Zeman’s efforts to maintain constructive relations between the two countries and expressed confidence that further development of cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and benefit meets the interests of the Russian and Czech peoples and is in the interests of stability and security in Europe.