In an interview on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his preference for President Joe Biden to win re-election in November rather than seeing former President Donald Trump return to power. This statement seems to contradict the frequent Democratic claim that Trump is somehow influenced by Russia. However, it is important to approach Putin’s statement with caution and consider the reliability of his words. The Russian leader made these remarks during an interview with Russian “journalist” Pavel Zarubin, as reported by Reuters.
Prior to this, Putin had not publicly commented on the 2024 U.S. presidential contest. It appears that he, like many in the U.S. establishment media, who tend to lean towards the left, has also recognized that November will present American voters with a choice between the 81-year-old incumbent and his 78-year-old predecessor.
During the interview, Zarubin asked Putin who would be “better for us,” possibly referring to the Russian people or the country’s leadership.
“Biden,” Putin responded. “He is a more experienced, predictable person, a politician of the old school.”
As per Reuters, Putin responded promptly, suggesting that he had either foreseen the question or had devoted considerable time to contemplating the potential outcomes.
He then continued, saying, “we will work with any U.S. president who the American people have confidence in.” The response given was likely not what many Democrats had anticipated. In fact, it seemed to have taken Reuters by surprise as well.
“Based on Trump’s reluctance to criticise Putin in his first term and his more recent comments — including a weekend interview where he said he would encourage Russia to attack NATO members that failed to spend enough on their own defence — his many critics believe he would give the Kremlin leader a much easier ride,” the London-based outlet opined.
Putin further supported Biden’s competence in leading the nation, a matter that has faced growing scrutiny, particularly following the publication of the special counsel’s report on the president’s mishandling of classified information.
“When I met with Biden in Switzerland — true, that was several years, three years ago — people were already saying he wasn’t up to it,” Putin told Zarubin. “I didn’t see anything of the kind.”
