Moscow will support US Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election in November, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday while speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
Putin told the audience that he admired the Democratic Party candidate’s “infectious laugh” and that he respected current President Joe Biden’s choice to endorse her as his successor.
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During a plenary session of the forum, Putin was asked whether he had a favorite candidate in the election now that Joe Biden, who he previously supported, has dropped out. He was also asked whether or not he would call to congratulate the eventual winner in November.
Putin replied by saying it had been a long time since he had any direct contact with Western European or US leaders, and noted that it was not up to Russia to choose a “favorite” in the US presidential election, which is a task for American voters.
Nevertheless, he recalled that he had previously expressed support for US President Joe Biden, who had since been “removed” from the race. However, the Russian president noted that Biden had told his supporters to support Kamala Harris in the race, and so Moscow would do the same and root for the vice president in November, Putin said.
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Putin added that Harris “laughs so infectiously” that it suggests “everything is going well for her.”
He also suggested that Harris’ positive disposition could mean that she would refrain from imposing as many sanctions on Russia as former US President Donald Trump, who Putin said had introduced more restrictions on Moscow than any other president in American history, at the time.
“In the end, the choice is up to the American people and we will treat their eventual decision with respect,” he said.