Putin says Biden is better for Russia than a Trump presidency

President Joe Biden has been handed an endorsement from an surprising and maybe unwelcome supply: The Kremlin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned Wednesday that his nation would favor to see the “extra skilled” Biden within the White Home for a second time period than the Republican frontrunner, former President Donald Trump. 

The feedback, which can be taken extra as mischievous meddling than severe statecraft, had been the Russian chief’s most direct in public on the upcoming U.S. presidential election. They had been welcomed by Trump however dismissed by the White Home, which urged Putin to “keep out” of the election.

In an interview with Russian propagandist reporter Pavel Zarubin launched Wednesday night time, Putin didn’t hesitate when requested whether or not Biden or Trump was higher for Russia. 

“Biden,” Putin mentioned. “He’s a extra skilled, predictable particular person, an old-school politician.” 

However, he added, Moscow will work with any U.S. chief who has the belief of the American individuals. 

The video of the interview was shared by Zarubin on his Telegram channel, and the transcript of Putin’s feedback was revealed on the Kremlin’s web site.

Within the interview, Putin additionally touched on hypothesis round Biden’s psychological health, saying he didn’t have the proper to touch upon the difficulty however that he didn’t discover something out-of-the-ordinary through the leaders’ assembly in Geneva in 2021.  

“Folks had been already saying then that he wasn’t as much as it. I didn’t see something of the type,” Putin mentioned.

The White Home responded to the Russian chief’s intervention Thursday morning. “Mr. Putin ought to keep out of America’s elections,” mentioned White Home spokesperson Andrew Bates.

Biden has lengthy been open in his criticism of Putin, beforehand calling the Russian chief a “killer,” “murderous dictator” and “pure thug.” He spearheaded the Western response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, together with robust financial sanctions.  

The U.S. has additionally been supplying Ukraine’s navy with billions of {dollars} in essential provides, and Putin’s intervention comes because the White Home pushes the GOP-led Home to vote via a brand new bundle of support for Kyiv.

Trump, in distinction, has typically been complimentary of Putin and praised him as a tricky chief. A Senate intelligence report discovered “intensive” Russian interference within the 2016 election that Trump received.

The previous president set off alarm bells in Europe after telling an election rally final weekend that he would encourage Russia to “do regardless of the hell they need” if it attacked a NATO nation that didn’t pay sufficient for protection.

The Republican frontrunner stood by his feedback at a rally on Wednesday night time. He additionally responded to Putin’s acknowledged desire for Biden, calling it a “nice praise” and including that “Putin will not be a fan of mine.”

Putin has beforehand blamed NATO and the bloc’s growth to the east for in the end precipitating his assault on Ukraine. Biden has pledged staunch assist for America’s NATO allies and accused Trump on Tuesday of getting “bowed right down to a Russian dictator.”

Putin mentioned within the interview that Trump has at all times been perceived as a “non-systemic politician” with “his personal view” on how the U.S. ought to develop relations with allies.

Every week earlier, in a much-talked-about interview with former Fox Information host Tucker Carlson, Putin mentioned he had “a private relationship” with Trump, however couldn’t bear in mind the final time he talked to Biden. “It’s not concerning the character of the chief — it’s concerning the temper of the elites,” Putin mentioned when requested whether or not it issues who’s in cost in Washington for higher relations with Russia.

Addressing the interview with Carlson, Putin mentioned Wednesday that he was shocked by the shortage of “sharp questions” from the conservative commentator.

He mentioned he anticipated Carlson to be extra “aggressive” and interrupt him extra, in order that he may reply extra pointedly. Carlson didn’t press Putin on many points delicate for the Kremlin, together with crackdown on dissent or alleged Russian battle crimes in Ukraine. 

“Frankly talking, I didn’t absolutely take pleasure in this interview,” Putin mentioned.