In his daily phone call with journalists, Peskov was asked if the West might view the delay as a sign that the Kremlin did not recognize Biden’s victory.

“This is absolutely the incorrect interpretation,” said Peskov. “The Russian president will congratulate the U.S. president-elect in due course, after the election results are summed up. The election results have not been summed up yet.”

Putin has called the delay “absolutely normal.” Not everyone sees it that way.

“Putin still has not congratulated Biden, the only major world leader not to do so. Keep it classy, Vladimir,” Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Moscow, tweeted Saturday.