Putin: Russia and US share responsibility for global security

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said Russia and the United States, "as the two largest nuclear powers," share a responsibility for global security. In a message to US President Donald Trump marking the 250th anniversary of US independence, Putin said the signing of the Declaration of Independence marked not only the birth of the United States but also "a significant milestone in world history."

Historical ties and modern relations

Putin noted that Russia had "unconditionally supported the North American colonists in their struggle for freedom from British rule" and that Moscow and Washington had been allies in both world wars. "We were allies in two world wars, together we freed humanity from the horrors of Nazism, and then played a vital role in laying the foundations of the modern world order," he said. He expressed confidence that "constructive, equal and mutually beneficial" relations between Moscow and Washington would serve the interests of both countries and the broader international community.