Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Joe Biden would be a better US president for Russia than Donald Trump, dismissing concerns over his counterpart’s age and aptness for the role.
Putin made his comments in a state television interview late on Wednesday and came as tensions between Democrats and Republicans rise over the White House’s efforts to send more military aid to Ukraine.
Asked to choose between Biden and Trump, Putin said the US leader was “more experienced, predictable, an old-school politician”, adding that Russia would “work with any US leader who wins the trust of the American people”.
The Russian president’s comments came a day after Biden accused Trump of having “bowed down to a Russian dictator” as he urged Republicans in Congress to defy Trump and back more funding for Ukraine.
During his 2017 to 2021 presidency, Trump was accused of being too sympathetic to Putin. US intelligence said that Russia had interfered in the 2016 White House race to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.
Putin suggested on Wednesday that concerns over Biden’s age and mental sharpness were part of the US election campaign which was “getting more and more vicious,” saying he’d seen no evidence his counterpart was not fit for office.
Despite his apparent backing of Biden, Putin said American policy on Russia was “harmful and mistaken” and suggested Trump was right to cast aspersions on the future of NATO.
