Russian President Vladimir Putin weighed in on the United States presidential election this week by making some sort of endorsement. During an interview with state television, he said that prefers President Joe Biden as president to former President Donald Trump.
Putin had been asked to choose which of the two presidential candidates he would love to win the presidential election in November. Without hesitation, he reportedly named Biden, calling him “a more experienced, predictable person, a politician of the old school.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would prefer to see President Joe Biden win a second term, describing him as “more experienced, more predictable” than Donald Trump. https://t.co/xaQXE3G17k pic.twitter.com/LJFzgyX6bg
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 15, 2024
While he expressed his preference for Biden, Putin recognized that the choice belongs to the American people, as he said that Russia “will work with any U.S. president who the American people have confidence in.”
While he was not the Russian leader’s choice, Trump said he took it as a “compliment.”
Addressing Putin’s remarks during a campaign rally in South Carolina, the GOP presidential candidate said that Putin prefers Biden because of his weak stance on issues.
“I got along good with him, but he doesn’t want to have me,” Trump said.
Pointing out that he put a stop to Russia’s interests during his presidency, Trump stated, “I stopped Nord Stream 2, and [Biden] approved it right after I left, so Putin is not a fan of mine actually.”
“He doesn’t want to have me. He wants Biden because he’s going to be given everything he wants, including Ukraine. He’s gonna have his dream of getting Ukraine because of Biden … The only president in the last five that hasn’t given Russia anything is a president known as Donald J. Trump,” he added.
The revelation of Putin’s preference of Biden follows Biden’s criticism of Trump for what he claimed was bowing down to “a Russian dictator.”
Biden and his campaign wasted no time seizing on the comments Trump made this week about his unwillingness to protect NATO allies from a Russian attack if they fail to fulfill their financial obligations toward NATO funding.
“Can you imagine a former president of the United States saying that? The whole world heard it. The worst thing is, he means it. No other president in our history has ever bowed down to a Russian dictator. Let me say this as clearly as I can: I never will,” Biden said, adding, “It’s un-American. When America gives its word it means something, so when we make a commitment, we keep it. And Nato is a sacred commitment.”
