Russian President Vladimir Putin has stirred controversy by expressing a preference for a Joe Biden presidency over Donald Trump, potentially aiming to sow discord in the upcoming US elections. In a recent interview with a Russian state journalist, Putin quickly chose Biden, citing him as "more experienced, predictable, an old-school politician," but asserted that Russia would work with any US president in whom the American people have confidence.
This marks Putin's first public comment on the upcoming US presidential elections, raising eyebrows as the world watches anxiously, especially amid the ongoing debate on a crucial wartime aid package for Ukraine in the US House of Representatives.
Putin dismissed concerns about Biden's age and mental acuity, stating he had not observed any issues during their 2021 meeting. He also took a swipe at former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson, criticizing the lack of sharp questions in their recent Kremlin interview.
The Russian president's comments come in the aftermath of Biden's criticism of Trump for allegedly "bowing down to a Russian dictator." Trump, in turn, has been advocating for Russia to invade countries not meeting their NATO obligations, causing unease among European leaders.
Critics accuse Trump of being sympathetic to Putin, given his administration's history of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. Recently, Trump has been lobbying against a Senate-approved $95.34 billion military aid package.
In contrast, Biden has long been a critic of Putin, even labeling him a "killer" before the Ukraine invasion. Under Biden's administration, the US has provided substantial military assistance to Ukraine.
Putin's cautious backing of Trump, a long-time critic of the Putin regime, appears to be a strategic move to introduce chaos into the already polarized US elections. However, this endorsement is unlikely to be welcomed by the Biden camp, considering Putin's pariah status in the West.
Trump, commenting on Putin's statement, interpreted it as a "great compliment," while Putin expressed dissatisfaction with the interview with Tucker Carlson, noting a lack of sharp questions and expressing a desire for more aggressive inquiry.