Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Backs Harris for U.S. President, With Wry Smile

RIA Novosti / kremlin.ru

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he supported Kamala Harris in November's U.S. presidential election, an apparent wry remark a day after the United States issued indictments accusing Moscow of vote interference.

Putin regularly comments on political and social issues in the United States, often in a mocking way.

He said last year that the U.S. political system was "rotten" and that Washington could not lecture other countries about democracy.

U.S. officials have repeatedly warned of efforts by foreign powers to meddle in the upcoming U.S. election, accusing Moscow of seeking to influence U.S. ballots dating back to the 2016 contest between Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"Firstly, [U.S. President Joe] Biden recommended all his supporters support Mrs. Harris," Putin said during a question and answer session at Russia's Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

Biden withdrew from the race in July amid concerns about his age and health, endorsing Vice President Harris to top the Democratic Party's ticket.

"Here, we are going to do that too, we're going to support her," Putin told the audience, with a wry smile.

"She laughs so contagiously that it shows that everything is fine with her," the Russian leader said.

"[Former U.S. President Donald] Trump has imposed as many sanctions on Russia as any president has ever imposed before, and if Harris is doing well, perhaps she will refrain from such actions."

In February, Putin backed Biden over Trump, calling the current president more "predictable." The White House called on Putin to "stay out" of U.S. elections in response.

'Information campaign'

Trump has said he will end the Ukraine conflict within "24 hours" if he is re-elected and has praised Putin as a "very smart cookie" who had repeatedly outsmarted the United States.

Putin said in July that he took Trump's comments about bringing a quick end to the fighting "quite seriously," and denounced the former real-estate magnate's convictions in the U.S. as "persecution."

Both leaders' comments have sparked suspicion Putin would be more sympathetic to a Trump presidency, but the Kremlin has insisted whoever wins will make no difference to the Ukraine conflict.

Putin's comments came a day after the United States indicted two employees of the state-run Russian news network RT and slapped sanctions on its top editors.

The 10 individuals and two entities sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department included RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan and her deputy Elizaveta Brodskaia.

Washington accused them of trying to influence the upcoming U.S. ballot, an accusation that the Russian foreign ministry denounced as false.

"It is an obvious operation, an information campaign... that was long prepared and that is needed ahead of the last stage of the electoral cycle," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told state news agency RIA Novosti.

She added that "of course, [a response] is being prepared," warning that it will be harsh and that it will make "everyone shudder."

Most U.S. media have downsized or pulled their staff from Russia since Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive amid laws targeting independent reporting on the conflict.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more