On Thursday, 5th September, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would support Kamala Harris in the upcoming US presidential elections. Putin said that his country desired to see Democratic party’s presidential candidate Harris win. Notably, the remarks were made in an apparent satirical statement, citing her “infectious” laugh as a reason to favour her over Republican candidate Donald Trump.
This is a day after the US Justice Department indicted two Russian media executives with an alleged criminal conspiracy to influence the November election with pro-Russian propaganda.
The Kremlin leader had stated earlier this year, before President Joe Biden withdrew from the campaign, with obvious sarcasm, that he preferred him over Trump because Biden was a more predictable ‘old school’ politician.
When asked how he saw the election now, Putin while addressing an Eastern Economic Forum in Russia’s far eastern city of Vladivostok, said it was the choice of the American people. However, he went on to say that, as Biden had advised his followers to support Harris, “We will do the same, we will support her.”
The comments drew applause from the audience, while Putin and the moderator smiled.
“She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her,” Putin was quoted as saying. He added also that maybe this meant she would refrain from further sanctions against Russia. Putin added that President Trump had introduced more sanctions against Russia than anyone in the White House before him.
Notably, the Democrats had claimed after the 2016 presidential elections that Russia ran a disinformation campaign to boost Trump’s campaign against Hillary Clinton. However, later the allegations were found to be false.
Meanwhile, as per the reports, US intelligence agencies believe Russia wants Trump to win because he is less devoted to supporting Ukraine in the conflict against Russia. But now Putin has claimed that Trump has imposed more sanctions against Russia than any previous president.
