Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on a display in the background as U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during his speech on “Gas Prices and Putin’s Price Hike” in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 22 speaks. 2022.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he prefers Joe Biden as the next U.S. president to Republican front-runner Donald Trump, who has faced intense scrutiny during his presidency over his ties to the Kremlin.
“[Biden] is more experienced and predictable. He is an “old school” politician. “But we will work with any US leader elected by the American people,” Putin told journalist Pavel Zarubin late Wednesday, Russian state-controlled Tass news agency reported.
The Trump and Biden presidential campaigns did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
Putin’s comments followed a week of international controversy over Trump’s recent NATO comments and rising tensions between U.S. Democrats and Republicans over a $95 billion aid package that also includes military aid to Ukraine.
The Kremlin leader will run in his own election on March 15 and 17, but is widely expected to secure another presidential mandate after leading Russia as prime minister or head of state since 1999.
In the same interview, Putin also appeared to dismiss recent media concerns about Biden’s mental acuity after Justice Department special counsel Robert Hur said the White House leader “intentionally withheld and disclosed classified materials” and a bad one during a relevant interview memory shown. Biden has denied the claims.
Referring to their meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2021, Putin said he had not noticed any signs of incompetence from Biden. “Yes, he looked at his notes from time to time, but to be honest I also looked at mine,” Putin said, adding that there were “reports about it.” [Biden] hit his head against the helicopter as he exited the helicopter, but who hasn’t?”
Despite these seemingly positive comments, Putin stressed that he continued to disagree with Biden’s policies, saying: “The incumbent administration’s approach is extremely harmful and flawed.”
Biden took office about a year before Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. His administration has decisively supported Kiev with military and financial aid, and Biden has led the White House through a period of deteriorating relations with the Kremlin.
Putin, for his part, has given Moscow and Western countries a wide berth – which have overwhelmingly sanctioned Russia and its officials – and sought new ties with various emerging economies, particularly China and Iran.
Putin’s apparent move to distance himself from Trump is notable given historical questions about the strength of the couple’s relationship. Trump was under investigation during a nearly two-year special investigation into Russian interference in the election he won. The former president repeatedly denied claims that he had fallen under Kremlin influence.
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During a campaign rally in South Carolina late last week, Trump signaled that he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell it wants” with a NATO military coalition member country that has defaulted on its defense spending commitments – sparking widespread international reaction Outrage and criticism from NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg that his comments would undermine the security of all NATO allies.
Biden called Trump’s comments “stupid,” “shameful,” “dangerous” and “un-American,” suggesting a close connection between the former U.S. president and the Russian leader and distancing himself from Putin.
“Can you imagine a former US president saying that? The whole world heard it. The worst thing is that he is serious. No other president in our history has ever bowed to a Russian dictator. And let me say this as clearly as I can: I never will,” Biden said.
The broader Republican Party’s support for Ukraine faces an imminent test after a $95 billion bill passed by a 70-29 vote in the Democratic-led U.S. Senate earlier this week. The aid package – which includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan – must win support from the Republican-led House of Representatives before it becomes law.
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2024-02-15 15:00:20
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