U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump exchanged foreign policy views on Russia's war against Ukraine during the second presidential debate of the 2024 U.S. election in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 10.
Trump, the Republican nominee, said that "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin endorsed her (Harris) last week" and hopes that she will win. "I think he meant it, because what he’s gotten away with is absolutely incredible, it wouldn't have happened with me," Trump claimed.
Earlier in September, Putin said "(Joe) Biden recommended that all his supporters support Ms. Harris. Here, we are going to do that too, we're going to support her."
The former president also repeated prior assertions that Russia would never have invaded Ukraine if Trump had won the 2020 election and said that if elected, the war would be over before he became president.
When asked if it was in America's best interest that Ukraine win the full-scale war, Trump deflected and did not provide a concrete answer.
Harris responded by saying: "If Donald Trump was president, Putin would be sitting in Kyiv right now."
"It is well known that he said of Putin that he can 'do whatever the hell he wants' and go into Ukraine; it is well known that he said when Russia went into Ukraine, (that) it was 'brilliant.' It is well known he exchanged love letters with (North Korean leader) Kim Jung Un, and it is absolutely well known that these dictators and autocrats are rooting for (Trump) to be president again because they're so clear they can manipulate you with flattery and favors," Harris said.
It was the second debate of the general election and the first since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July and Harris became the presumptive nominee.
Martin Fornusek
