On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his support for Kamala Harris in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. This comment followed accusations from Washington that Moscow is attempting to interfere in the vote.
Putin, known for his often sarcastic remarks on U.S. political matters, had previously criticized the American political system, describing it as “rotten” and arguing that the U.S. lacked the credibility to lecture other nations on democracy.
During a Q&A session at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin remarked, “Firstly, (U.S. President Joe) Biden has advised all his supporters to back Mrs. Harris. We, too, will offer our support.” His statement was delivered with a noticeable smirk.
Putin added, “She has such a contagious laugh, which suggests that everything is going well with her.”
He also noted that former President Donald Trump had imposed numerous sanctions on Russia, implying that Harris, if successful, might be less inclined to continue such policies.
Earlier this year, Putin had expressed a preference for Biden over Trump, calling the current U.S. president more “predictable.” In response, the White House urged Putin to refrain from involving himself in U.S. electoral affairs.
Putin’s latest comments came just a day after the United States indicted two employees of the Russian state-run news outlet RT and imposed sanctions on its senior editors, accusing them of attempting to influence the upcoming U.S. election.