Russian President Putin Signals to Support Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in U.S. Presidential Race.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently commented on the U.S. presidential race during an economic forum in Vladivostok, Russia.
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| Russian President Vladimir Putin . Photo: Contributor/Getty Images |
He has expressed Moscow's support for Vice President Kamala Harris, who took over the Democratic Party's presidential candidacy after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.
Putin stated, "Our favorite, if I may say so, was the current president, Mr. Biden. He was removed from the race, but he recommended that all his supporters support Ms. Harris. That's what we'll do, too. We will support her."
Although Putin said Moscow would support Harris, he said that the American people's choice is the most important factor, not Russia's opinion. He added, "As for the favorites, it's not for us to determine. It's still the choice of the American people."
Putin made a lighthearted remark about Harris’s well-known laughter, saying that her expressive and contagious laugh suggests she is doing well and might not impose further sanctions on Russia.
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| Ronda Churchill/AFP/Getty Images |
Despite his comment that the decision is up to the American people, Putin’s remarks triggered a strong response from Washington. John Kirby, the spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, quickly criticized Putin’s statements.
Kirby urged Putin to stop talking about U.S. elections altogether, saying, "Putin ought to stop talking about our elections, period. He shouldn't be favoring anybody one way or another." Kirby also added that Putin should "stop interfering" in the election process. His comments came shortly after the U.S. announced charges related to alleged Russian attempts to interfere with the upcoming November 5th election.
Kirby's comments came shortly after the U.S. Department of Justice announced charges against two Russian nationals, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, for conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The charges allege that Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, who worked for the Russian state broadcaster RT, funneled $10 million to online influencers who produced content that supported Kremlin-backed narratives.
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President Biden, who had been the Democratic Party's candidate for the election, announced his withdrawal from the race on July 21 and endorsed Kamala Harris to take his place. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who had a friendlier relationship with Putin compared to Biden and Harris, secured the Republican Party’s nomination.
In addition to his comments about Harris, Putin also took a moment to criticize the sanctions imposed on Russia during Trump's presidency. Although his comments were framed as supportive of Harris, they led to further backlash, especially with the recent allegations of Russian interference in U.S. elections.