ASTANA. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday that his preference for Joe Biden as the next U.S. president remains unchanged, despite having watched parts of the debate between Biden and former President Donald Trump.
When asked by a state television reporter if his preference had shifted after the debate, Putin responded: “Nothing has changed.” He added, “Did we not know what could come? We knew.”
Putin has repeatedly expressed that he finds Biden preferable to Trump, even after Biden labeled the Russian leader a “crazy SOB.” Despite watching some fragments of the debate, Putin indicated he had more pressing matters to attend to. “I saw some fragments,” he said. “But I have enough to do.”
Biden’s performance in the debate, which raised questions about his age and mental fitness, did not seem to alter Putin’s stance. Although he paid little attention to partial media reports about the debate, Putin acknowledged that the United States remains a significant global power and cannot be ignored.
Regarding Trump’s statements that he could swiftly end the Ukraine war if re-elected, Putin noted that Russia takes him seriously but lacks details on Trump’s peace proposals. “The fact that Mr. Trump, as a presidential candidate, declares that he is ready and wants to stop the war in Ukraine, we take this completely seriously,” Putin said. “I am not, of course, familiar with possible proposals for how he plans to do this. This is the key question. But I have no doubt that he means it sincerely, and we support it.”
Putin’s comments come amidst a backdrop of ongoing international tensions and a contentious U.S. presidential campaign, underscoring the global impact of American political dynamics.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
