Vladimir Putin sensationally claimed in an interview with Russian state television that Donald Trump “scolded” him for “sympathizing” with President Joe Biden in 2019.
In the wide-ranging interview, in which Putin threatened that his forces would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if Washington ever decided to allow Ukraine to take action, the autocrat also said his government would not interfere in the US elections.
“In the last year of his work as president, Mr. Trump, the current presidential candidate, accused me of sympathizing with (Joe) Biden…. He told me in one of the conversations: you want – sorry, I will say it. As he said it, this is a quote: “Sleepy Joe must win,” Putin said, according to a translation via Reuters.
“And then, to my surprise, they started persecuting him (Trump) for allegedly supporting him as a candidate. Well, it’s kind of complete nonsense,” Putin continued.
When asked about Russian hackers meddling in the US elections on behalf of the Kremlin, Putin dismissed the idea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gives an interview to TV presenter and Director General of Rossiya Segodnya (RIA Novosti) news agency Dmitry Kiselyov at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 12, 2024
Putin said Trump called Biden “Sleepy Joe” during their phone call
Previously, Putin said in February that he would choose Biden over Trump as US president, saying Biden was more experienced and predictable
‘We do not interfere in elections in any way. And, as I have said many times, we will work with any leader who has the trust of the American people, the American voter,” he said.
Putin said Russia would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty were threatened.
The Russian leader launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is almost certain to win the March 15-17 presidential election.
Putin was interviewed for state news agency RIA and state television Rossiya-1 by veteran Russian broadcaster Dmitry Kiselyov, who has long been accused of running a soapbox news program for the Kremlin.
Kiselyov, who has been married eight times, is known for his views on traditional relationships and regularly condemns homosexuality by suggesting that the organs of LGBTQ people be incinerated after death.
Putin previously said in February that he would choose Biden over Trump as US president, saying Biden was more experienced and predictable.
They were rare accolades for Biden, a fierce critic of the Russian leader who has frequently praised Trump.
Putin spoke with one of his most ardent TV propagandists, Dmitry Kiselyov
“Biden, he is more experienced, more predictable, he is a politician of the old formation,” Putin said when asked which candidate would be better for Russia. “But we will work with any American leader the American people trust.”
Putin’s motives for saying Biden is a better choice for Russia were unclear, but the claim raised eyebrows given previous US government assessments of the Russian leader’s support for Trump and the Kremlin’s attempts to to tilt the American elections in his favor.
The apparent approval was not welcomed by the White House. Asked at a February briefing about Putin’s comments, national security spokesman John Kirby said: “I think Mr. Putin knows very well what this administration has done to counter Russia’s malign influence around the world.”
‘Mr. Putin should simply stay out of our elections,” Kriby added.
Trump, on the other hand, immediately applauded the statement at a campaign rally on Wednesday evening, calling it a “great compliment” to him.
US intelligence agencies concluded that Putin ordered a covert campaign to influence the 2016 race in favor of Trump over Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton, with Russian agents hacking Democratic emails and facilitating their release in the run-up to the election .
More recently, intelligence agencies concluded that Putin authorized influence operations in the 2020 election aimed at denigrating Biden, boosting Trump, undermining confidence in the election and exacerbating social divisions in the US .
Trump and Putin, who have frequently praised each other in the past, have dismissed such findings.
Putin also denounced the White House’s policy toward Russia, describing it as “deeply flawed and wrong.”