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Sometimes a message of support can be a doubleedged sword. This could be the case with Russian President Vladimir Putin's unexpected support for his American counterpart Joe Biden in the November 5 election.
On that day, Americans will elect their new president in a contest that, barring any lastminute surprises, will pit Biden and former President Donald Trump against each other, just as they did in the 2020 presidential election.
Putin expressed the opinion that it would be better for Russia if Biden won the elections and got a second term, despite the intense tensions and rivalries that characterize the current relationship between the governments of Moscow and Washington.
“It’s predictable”
It is the first time that the Russian president has publicly commented on the 2024 US elections.
“Who is better for us, Biden or Trump?” Russian state television correspondent Pavel Zarubin asked Putin in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.
The Kremlin chief replied immediately and without hesitation: “Biden.”
He argued: “He has more experience, he is predictable, he is an oldstyle politician.”
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Putin in his interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin
Putin also defended Biden's ability to do his job at a time when concerns have been raised about the 81yearold president's memory and clarity.
“When I met Biden in Switzerland even though it was a few years ago some people were already saying he was unfit for work. “I’ve never seen anything like that,” he reported.
And he went into detail: “Yes, he looked at his papers. To be honest, I've done the same thing on occasion, well, who can say they've never hit their head before?
It is paradoxical that these words come from a leader whom the American president himself described as a “murderous dictator” and “murderer” and who he accused of harboring “a cowardly desire for territory and power.”
As a counterpoint, Putin also criticized the White House's policy toward Moscow in his interview, which he considered “seriously flawed” and “misguided.”
A “big compliment” for Trump
Trump, in turn, used Putin's words to his advantage at a campaign event on Wednesday evening.
The former president explained that the Russian president's preference for Biden was a “big compliment” to himself.
Putin's new comments actually caused a stir, as he generally appeared to be in better harmony with Trump than with Biden.
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Trump scored a point after Putin's comment about Biden
Trump called Putin an “intelligent” leader and “a genius” in a recent speech to criticize current U.S. strategy in dealing with him.
And days ago he warned NATO allies that if elected president, he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever it wants with those” who fail to meet their commitment to spend at least 2% on defense.
Biden, in turn, reiterated that “if Putin attacks a NATO ally, the United States will defend every inch of the territory” of the Atlantic alliance states.
Putin's intentions
What does Putin actually want with his statements in support of the current leader in Washington?
The Kremlin leader's words come at a time of disagreement in the United States over how to help Ukraine resist the Russian invasion after nearly two years of war.
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Being Putin's favorite puts Biden in a difficult position
Some analysts believe that Putin's comments this Wednesday are trying to add fuel to the fire and further political polarization and divergence in American democracy over the conflict in Ukraine.
This is particularly relevant at a time when the US Senate has approved a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, with $60 billion earmarked to help Kiev fight Moscow are.
This package awaits approval in the Chamber of Deputies, where strong opposition is expected from the Republican majority allied with Trump.
On the other hand, if Trump's candidacy for the Republican Party in the presidential election is confirmed, Putin's declared preference for his rival could become a campaign weapon for the former American president in his attempt to return to the White House.
“Now the Trump team can highlight these comments about Biden and use them to head off the inevitable accusations that Trump is the Kremlin’s choice,” said Steve Rosenberg, editor of the BBC Russian Service in Moscow.