Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday sent a New Year's greeting to US counterpart Barack Obama, saying the two countries share mutual responsibility to ensure world peace. In a statement showing Putin's New Year's messages to heads of state across the world, the Russian leader addressed Obama despite the crisis in US-Russian relations over Ukraine, saying the "Russian-American partnership could have been developing successfully."
Putin said the coming year will mark 70 years since the end of World War II when countries united against Adolf Hitler. "This historic date is a reminder of the responsibilities of Russia and the US for supporting peace and international stability, their unique role in countering global challenges and threats," the statement said. Obama in recent interviews has said that while many believed Putin fooled the world with his quick Crimea annexation, he is in fact looking weak now that the Russian economy is suffering the consequences of sanctions. "I'd sense that at least outside of Russia, maybe some people are thinking what Putin did wasn't so smart," Obama told US radio NPR this week.