Putin claims he wants Harris to win US election
Vladimir Putin has claimed he wants one particular candidate to win the US presidential election in November.
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum, he said Democrat Kamala Harris was Russia’s preferred choice, claiming her “infectious” laugh was a reason to pick her over Donald Trump.
The comment was apparently ironic, as he and Mr Trump have long praised each other and the election of the Republican nominee and former US president would likely lead to cuts to aid to Ukraine.
Earlier this year, when Mr Biden was still the Democrat nominee, Mr Putin said he preferred him to Mr Trump because Mr Biden was a more predictable “old school” politician.
Today he claimed, as Mr Biden recommended support for Ms Harris, Russia would do the same.
His comments come a day after the Biden administration seized Kremlin-run websites, charged two Russian state media employees and issued fresh sanctions in a fight against what is sees as Russian attempts to spread disinformation ahead of the election.
“She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her,” Mr Putin said with a wry smile, adding that maybe this meant she would refrain from further sanctions against Russia.
In his speech, Mr Putin also criticised France’s arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, saying it had a “selective character”.
Earlier he dismissed Ukraine’s invasion of Russia’s Kursk region as failing in its attempt to slow Russian advances elsewhere.
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