U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Sept. 7 that he was "very offended" by Russian President Vladimir Putin's tongue-in-cheek "endorsement" of his rival, Kamala Harris.
In an apparent wry remark, the Kremlin's chief said on Sept. 5 that U.S. President Joe Biden was his "favorite" for the upcoming presidential run, but since Biden dropped out, Putin would "support" Harris.
Putin's comment came shortly after the U.S. announced a wide-reaching crackdown on Russian interference in U.S. elections. Previously, Moscow has been accused of using disinformation campaigns and similar means to back Trump against Hillary Clinton and Biden in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
"No other U.S. president has been tougher on Russia than me," Trump alleged at a rally in Wisconsin, repeating claims that Russia would have never invaded Ukraine if he was in office.
The prospect of Trump's reelection is causing concern in Ukraine as signals from his close circle indicate he might seek to pressure Kyiv toward ceding territory and other concessions to achieve peace. The worries only grew after the ex-president picked JD Vance, a Senator from Ohio who is vocal critic of the Ukraine aid, as a running mate.
Trump has praised Putin on several occasions, while the Russian president alleged last September that Trump would be able to solve the war in Ukraine "within several days." The former U.S. president has said he would end the war within 24 hours without elaborating on the steps needed to achieve this.
In turn, Biden has positioned the U.S. as the leading military donor for Ukraine and spearheaded sanctions against Moscow. His administration nevertheless received criticism for the piecemeal and restrictive strategy in the support.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
